O U I J A
Written by
Juliet Snowden & Stiles White
September 26, 2013
DARKNESS.
A low wind stirs from far away...
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE - NIGHT
No cars in the driveway. A single light on in an upstairs
window. We hear A TEENAGE GIRL’S VOICE.
TEENAGE GIRL (O.S.)
I wanted to talk. I felt like last
night... I don’t know. Things were
starting to get kinda weird between
us.
EASE IN on that upstairs window...
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Glimpse a sliver of A BEDROOM... because we’re looking out
from inside the bedroom closet. The slightly open closet
door keeps us from seeing more.
We stay exactly in this spot throughout...
A teen girl sits on the floor. This is DEBBIE (17).
talking to someone in her room.
She’s
DEBBIE
It was fun for a while, when we
first started playing. But... I
feel like you’ve changed.
EASE OVER SLIGHTLY... able to see a little more of Debbie.
There’s something in front of her on the floor. A GAME
BOARD. Debbie’s fingers touching a heart-shaped wooden piece
on the board.
She’s playing OUIJA with someone. But from where we are
inside the closet, we can’t see who it is.
WE DRIFT UP AWAY FROM THE BOARD now so that we’re just on
Debbie’s face.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
I mean, you’re still my friend,
right?
Debbie sits there waiting.
C’mon.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Answer me.
Suddenly, Debbie’s expression shifts.
Fear in her eyes.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
You know what? This is our last
game. I’m not playing ever again.
I want you to leave. Just get out.
2.
MOVEMENT. A DARK SHAPE steps past the crack in the closet.
We hear a THUD and now we are -IN THE BEDROOM WITH DEBBIE
She sits there alone on the floor, glancing over to the wide
open bedroom door as it comes to a rest against the wall. As
if someone just left the room.
The night wind creaks outside...
Debbie gathers up the Ouija board and planchette and moves
quickly to her closet. She opens the double doors, about to
put the board away when --- there’s a noise. SCRAPE. Debbie glances over her
shoulder. The room is still empty.
She turns back.
behind her --
Reaching to place the Ouija up on a shelf as
-- there’s MOVEMENT in a mirror. Unseen by Debbie, because
she’s still reaching up to put the board away.
The wooden planchette slips and falls, landing at Debbie’s
feet. She picks it up when suddenly --- BAM! A loud sound in her room. Debbie spins to see that
her bedside table lamp has fallen... now slowly rolling on
the floor.
Debbie stands there totally still. Staring. Her panicked
eyes scan the room. All we hear is her BREATHING and the
WIND outside. She turns slightly... and a SHADOW falls
across her face. We don’t see what she sees -- but someone’s
standing right there.
Debbie stares. Absolutely terrified.
about to say something when --
Her lips tremble,
-- she’s PUSHED HARD into her closet! It’s a blur. She
falls back into her hanging clothes. Getting twisted up in a
plastic dry cleaning bag.
VERY CLOSE on Debbie -- and right before she can scream, a
clear plastic dry cleaning bag suddenly PRESSES TIGHT AGAINST
HER FACE! A split second shock and we instantly go -INT. DEBBIE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
-- back into the bedroom. The closet doors, out of focus in
the background. We catch the tail end of them closing shut
with a slight creak. No sound comes from the closet. Just
the wind outside.
CHILLING MUSIC rises, taking us to --
3.
TITLE CREDITS. A vintage turn of the century black and white
photograph of a parlor SEANCE GATHERING. People in formal
attire at a table with a OUIJA BOARD at the center. We hear
a WOMAN’S VOICE speak via a scratchy cylinder recording -WOMAN’S VOICE
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you.
More PHOTOS. STOCK FILM FOOTAGE. Moving through the
decades. Groups of people playing the Ouija. Even though
the times and styles change, the Ouija board continues to
look the same. We hear that familiar calling, different
VOICES -VARIOUS VOICES
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you.
Polaroid shots. Video footage. Each Ouija game feels more
recent than the last. The final image is TWO GIRLS (12).
Sitting on a floor with a Ouija board between them. Dressed
for a sleepover. It’s just a photo, but we hear their
innocent young voices as they say the words -TWO GIRLS
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you.
From the photo of the two girls we DRIP TO BLACK. LARGE BOLD
LETTERS appear one by one out of the darkness... as if
conjured from the ether. Spelling out a single mysterious
word in a familiar vintage font:
O U I J A
SOUND rises. !A hard SCRATCHING.
A PENCIL ON PAPER.
page. Beat.
CLOSE ON --
Cursive handwriting spills across the
Suddenly the paper is ripped from a notebook and crumpled up.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY
ELENA “LAINE” MORENO, 17, tosses the paper into the
wastebasket near her desk. !A few other crumpled notes
already in there.!
It's early. Laine sits alone in the classroom. !Outside the
commotion of students arriving for the school day. !Laughing
distant voices. Slamming of lockers out in the hallway.
4.
Laine regards another blank piece of paper. She takes a
breath. Writes out another note. Her final words are the
only ones we see: “Friends forever xoxo Laine”
Laine folds the paper into an origami note. !She sets it on a
far desk near the window as the bell rings and students start
filtering into the classroom.
A MOMENT LATER. Laine’s back in her desk. ISABELLE (17)
takes the seat next to her and starts right in -ISABELLE
What are we feeling this weekend?
LAINE
It’s only Tuesday.
ISABELLE
I know. But I like to get a jump.
(scrolling through her
phone)
Got multiple party options here.
Small selective gathering or that
blow-out everyone’s going to?
A GUY swoops in and gives Laine a kiss before taking the desk
behind her. This is TREVOR (17).
TREVOR
She trying to steal my time again?
Iz, we don’t always have to tag
along. You can fly solo.
ISABELLE
Yeah. Me showing up to a party
alone wouldn’t look pathetic at
all. Not everyone has your perfect
couple situation.
LAINE
Look at her... acting like she's
not the one who breaks up with
every guy she goes out with.
ISABELLE
I’m a picky bitch.
Can’t help it.
A TEACHER, MR. SATLOF, enters and starts passing out an exam.
MR. SATLOF
Okay. Settle. Books away. I’m
putting thirty minutes on the
clock. Please dazzle me with your
knowledge of all things John
Milton.
Trevor leans in toward Laine, whispering --
5.
TREVOR
Yo. You ready to throw down on
this iambic pentameter -But Laine’s not paying attention. She’s glancing back at the
desk where she put the note... and it’s still empty. The
note just sitting there.
Laine?
laugh.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
This is the part where you
Laine snaps out of it.
Gives Trevor a smile.
MR. SATLOF
Eyes front. No talking.
DISSOLVE TO:
LAINE TAKING HER TEST. She hears whispering and looks up to
see her TEACHER out in the hall talking with someone.
Mr. Satlof comes back into the classroom, and by his somber
expression, Laine knows that something is wrong.
MR. SATLOF (CONT’D)
I know some of you are finishing
up, but... I have something I need
to share with everyone.
Students put their pencils down.
going on.
Murmuring, wondering what’s
MR. SATLOF (CONT’D)
I just got word that...
Mr. Satlof’s voice trails off.
This is hard for him to say.
Laine glances back again at the EMPTY DESK.
LAINE
It’s Debbie, isn’t it?
happened?
Now everyone’s looking at Laine.
Then --
What
Mr. Satlof slowly nods.
MR. SATLOF
I’m so sorry... she died at her
house last night.
TREVOR
Oh my God...
Reaction ripples through the classroom.
crying. But Laine is frozen.
Isabelle starts
6.
LAINE
No. It’s a mistake.
be dead...
Debbie can’t
MR. SATLOF
This is a tremendous loss. The
school will be providing counselors
for anyone who needs to talk during
this difficult time -EASE IN ON LAINE. Her eyes stare in shock. The world
suddenly seems to swim around her. !Sounds and voices fading.
And from that EMPTY DESK with the note sitting on it we go -INT. LAINE’S ROOM - DAY
Laine stands at a mirror as an OLDER WOMAN zips up her black
dress from behind. This is Laine’s grandmother, NONA.
The woman sees the devastation on her granddaughter’s face.
Their conversations are always in Spanish with subtitles -NONA
I know this mourning that you feel.
With the death of a friend, there
is a part of you who dies as well.
LAINE
It’s like there’s a pain in my
heart that will never go away. !
NONA
Respect grief, my precious Elena.
It is often in these times we find
our own light and understanding.
Laine looks at her grandmother.
LAINE
I don’t want understanding. !I want
Debbie back.
There’s a knock at the door. !Laine’s father, ANTHONY MORENO.
Latino. !Dressed in a suit. !His eyes filled with heartache.
It’s time.
MR. MORENO
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DAY
Several cars are parked out front.
attire heading into the house.
GUESTS in post-funeral
7.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS - DAY
WITH LAINE. Standing among the mourners who are gathered in
the house. Adults. Other high school friends. A few
teachers... Mr. Satlof among them. Trevor and Isabelle are
here.
Laine moves through the gathering.
of dialogue:
Voices hushed.
Snippets
MOURNERS (VARIOUS)
...and that Carol had to find her
like that... in the closet. Just
horrible... makes no sense.
They’re packed and coming to stay
with me... can’t be in this house
another night...
Laine hovers, glances at a vintage ANNIVERSARY CLOCK. Small
crack in the glass dome. Hands frozen in time. Hasn’t
worked in years.
Beat... then over at the stairs she sees a GUY standing there
holding flowers. Student. Strange. Thrift store suit and
tie. He doesn’t seem to know anyone else here. He’s just
standing there. Glancing up the stairs...
Laine hears crying. Sees Debbie’s PARENTS sitting across the
house, being comforted by friends. THE MOTHER, sobbing.
Laine turns back... and now that GUY at the bottom of the
stairs is gone. His flowers left behind on the foyer table.
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - DAY
Upstairs. Laine pushes open a door into Debbie’s bedroom.
She steps inside and glances around, as if trying to
understand Debbie’s sudden death.
The room is decorated in an eclectic style. Evidence of
Debbie’s life in high school theatre. Framed posters and
photos of her plays and performances. But the most prominent
feature in the room is a MURAL OF A TREE, silhouette style.
Painted branches sweeping across the wall.
It’s familiar.
We’ve been in this room before...
Laine casts a glance to the closet. !The door is slightly
open. An unsettling crack of darkness within. Laine reaches
out and pushes it closed.
Laine takes a breath. !She steps to a BULLETIN BOARD, covered
in mementos and photos. Almost all of the pictures are of
Debbie and Laine. Through the years. Birthday parties.
Camping trips. School dances. Arms around each other.
8.
A faint CREAK. Laine looks over... and the closet door is
again slightly open. She stares... unaware that a FIGURE is
now right behind her.
MRS. GALARDI (O.S.)
You were everything to her.
Laine spins and sees Debbie’s MOTHER standing there. !The
woman’s eyes wild with grief.!
LAINE
Mrs. G...
(devastating beat)
I can’t believe she’s gone.
Laine hugs Debbie’s mom. !Holds her tight in the silence.
And then Mrs. Galardi pulls back, looks at Laine.
MRS. GALARDI
Do you understand this, Laine? Why
would my baby do this to herself? !
Tears run down Laine’s cheeks. !All of this simply too much.
LAINE
I don’t know.!
Mrs. Galardi steps away... glances around. !Being in this
room, the despair is so immense.!
Mrs. Galardi starts collecting some of her daughter’s
possessions and putting them in a box. !A bracelet. !An old
Flip camera. Pulling photos from the bulletin board.
Laine watches her with concern, not understanding.
Mrs. G....
LAINE (CONT’D)
MRS. GALARDI
She’d want you to have these. This
way a part of her is always with
you...
Mrs. Galardi hands Laine the box of mementos.!
MRS. GALARDI (CONT’D)
Always remember her.
Laine nods. !Her heart breaking.
EXT. LAINE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
A very similar two-story style as Debbie’s house. !Same
neighborhood. The sudden SOUND OF GIRLS LAUGHING takes us --
9.
FLIP CAMERA VIDEO SCREEN. Recent footage. Laine and Debbie
trying on dresses in a small store changing room. Laughing.
Posing in the mirror. Hamming it up for the camera.
DEBBIE
That’s the one. Very hot.
see that booty shake!
Lemme
SALESPERSON (O.S.)
Ladies, I need you to keep it down
in there. We do have other
customers.
Laine and Debbie laugh so hard they can barely breathe.
ANOTHER MOMENT.
Debbie’s house.
Laine and Debbie in their dresses. In
Saying goodbye to Debbie’s parents.
ANOTHER MOMENT. School dance. Music pumping. Lights
swirling. Debbie holds the camera out, getting a two-shot of
her and Laine. The kind of night you want to last forever.
Image freezes. A GLITCH. It makes Debbie’s frozen laugh
look like a scream.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Laine’s on her bed with the box of mementos. Laptop open
next to her revealing Debbie’s Facebook page -- now a
memorial. Memories and messages from friends popping up.
Laine tries to get the Flip camera working again, but it’s
stuck on that image of Debbie. Laine sets it aside.
She looks down at the mementos. Laine puts Debbie’s infinity
charm bracelet on her wrist. She dangles a little penguin
with sunglasses keychain on her finger...
...when she hears a loud car MUFFLER outside. !
Laine goes to the window. Her sister SARAH (15) emerges from
a beat-up car that proceeds to head off down the street.
The girl comes up the sidewalk as Laine’s FATHER storms out
of the house. !Laine cracks her bedroom window to listen -MR. MORENO
-- that’s the guy you skipped
school with today? What the hell’s
going on with you?!
Sarah responds. !Her voice low. !Laine unable to make it out.
MR. MORENO (CONT’D)
Well, you better start caring.
Because I’m getting calls at work.
Principal said one more no-show and
you’re getting expelled --
10.
Laine watches as her father follows Sarah into the house,
their ARGUING VOICES muffled through the walls.
INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER
SARAH stomps up the stairs into the hallway and we get our
first real look at her. !Heavy makeup. !Growing up too fast.
Sarah sees Laine standing there.
SARAH
Great. !Now I get to be blessed
with your opinion too. !Lucky me.
LAINE
I can’t believe you weren’t at the
funeral. !Actually, I can. It’s
totally typical.
Sarah keeps heading to her room. !Laine follows.
SARAH
Can’t be around people crying. !All
sad and stuff -LAINE
-- Debbie was always good to you.
Especially when mom left -SARAH
-- I know. !Okay.
(beat)
And now she’s gone too. !
Sarah steps into her room and closes the door, leaving Laine
alone in the hallway.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Laine steps to her bed, starts putting Debbie’s things back
in the box. She glances over and sees that a PHOTO has
fallen on the floor. !Face down. !She picks it up.
It’s Laine and Debbie circa 7th grade. !The two girls are in
their pajamas playing a OUIJA BOARD.
Two girls playing Ouija.
We’ve seen this photo.
Laine stares at the photo. Lost in thought. She notices
something. Runs her finger over a GLARE streaking across the
Ouija board in the image. It’s odd.
Then -- LAINE'S COMPUTER SCREEN. !Photo folders. !Click.
Recent Instagram pics of Laine and her friends.
11.
INT. LAINE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT - LATER
Laine scrolls through her digital photos. !Going backwards
through the years.! And Laine finally finds the exact same
photo of her and Debbie on the floor playing the Ouija.
Laine holds up the printed photo next to the image on her
screen. There's no glare on her computer version. !The one
from Debbie's bulletin board is definitely different.
CLOSE ON THE PRINTED PHOTO. !Suddenly lit up with a bright
FLASH OF LIGHT.
Laine takes a ‘snapscan’ of the photo with her iPad. !She
opens up the image in her photo app and ENLARGES THE PICTURE.
She scrolls around. !Down to the Ouija board. !That WEIRD
GLARE. Laine taps -- blows the photo up even more. !The
glare seems to perfectly highlight the word GOOD BYE at the
bottom of the Ouija board.!!
Off of Laine’s puzzled expression cut to -EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DAY
Debbie’s house sits in late afternoon shadows. Curtains
drawn. Trevor’s car pulls up in front. Laine gets out and
heads around the side of the house.
LAINE
This’ll just be a second.
to grab something.
I have
Trevor calls out through the rolled down window -TREVOR
I thought her parents were gone?
Laine doesn’t answer.
Keeps walking.
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - BACKYARD - DAY
Alone, Laine moves past a tarp covered swimming pool in the
backyard. She glances up at the dark windows of the house.
There’s a soft lapping of water from under the pool tarp.
Laine turns. A brief undulating MOVEMENT underneath... but
it’s just the wind. Dead leaves blowing across the tarp.
Laine checks under a small garden statue -- finds a SPARE
KEY. A hiding place she’s familiar with.
And when she looks back up at the house... there’s now a
LIGHT TURNED ON IN AN UPSTAIRS WINDOW. Laine looks at the
window, unsettled, as we go --
12.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS - DAY
A CLICK at the back door... and Laine comes inside.
drawn. Still.
Mrs. G?
Curtains
LAINE
Hello?
No answer. Laine moves through the kitchen. Coffee cups
next to an open tin of cookies... remnants of Debbie’s wake.
There’s a feeling that Debbie’s parents packed a few things
and simply left. So eerie.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY
Laine steps to the top of the stairs. Down the hall... the
LIGHT is coming from Debbie’s bedroom.
LAINE
Somebody there?
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - DAY
Laine moves into Debbie’s room. Everything here is just as
it was the other day. Preserved and untouched.
The bedside table lamp suddenly FLICKERS off and then back
on. BUZZING like it has a bad bulb. Laine unplugs it...
But now there’s a slight sound. SCRAAAPE. Laine turns -eyes falling on the CLOSET. Is it coming from in there?
She goes to the closet. Hesitates. Knowing what happened in
here. Laine opens the doors. Darkness. Can’t see. She
reaches up, pulls the light cord --- and there’s a FACE.
PLASTIC HANGING BAGS.
SOMEONE’S STANDING BEHIND THE CLEAR
Laine startles, as -TREVOR (O.S.)
What’re you doing?
Laine spins to find Trevor behind her. Watching. As Laine
turns back to the closet, she sees that the “face” is
actually one of Debbie’s painted theatre masks, hanging on
the back wall.
Laine settles, looks around the closet shelves. And there
among some other games is a OUIJA BOARD. She pulls it down
and brings it over to the floor.
Laine sits there, runs her fingers over the antique lettering
on the vintage wooden game board.!
13.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
So you came here looking for a
Ouija board?
LAINE
We used to play all the time.
TREVOR
Anything cool ever happen?
LAINE
No, it’s just a game. But we
pretended it was real. Asked
questions about our future. You
know... ‘Will I ever find true
love?’ Stuff like that. Debbie
would always spell out the answers
I needed to hear. !And I’d do the
same for her. Like texting each
other. Old school.
Trevor picks up the tear-shaped PLANCHETTE out of the box.
It’s wooden. Looks homemade. Not the plastic kind that
usually comes with the game.
TREVOR
And this is the thing you use -the game piece?
LAINE
The planchette. Debbie’s mom made
this one when she was our age. Put
her initials on the bottom. And we
added ours too. See?
Laine places the planchette on the board. !Touches it with
two fingers... moving it slightly across the board -LAINE (CONT’D)
You know how Debbie and I had that
huge fight a few weeks ago?
Trevor nods.
LAINE (CONT’D)
I thought it would blow over. You
know, ’It'll be okay tomorrow.’ Or
next week. And suddenly there's no
tomorrow.
Laine looks at Trevor. !She is sick with guilt.
TREVOR
Laine, you can’t blame yourself for
this. Friends have arguments. Why
Debbie did what she did... we’ll
never know.
14.
Quiet.
Laine keeps looking at the board.
LAINE
Sit across from me a sec. !
Trevor gives her a look -- knows where she’s going with this.
LAINE (CONT’D)
You aren’t supposed to mess with it
alone.
TREVOR
You said it was a game.
It is.
LAINE
But...
Trevor sits across from her. !Watches as Laine puts her
fingertips on the planchette. !He does the same.
Okay.
TREVOR
LAINE
You do two circles like this.
for each of us. Clockwise.
One
They move the planchette twice around the board. !The feeling
in the room shifts. !Trevor gives Laine her space, knows she
needs to say some things.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Freshman year, when my mom suddenly
decided that she needed to ‘find
herself’ and split on us, I was a
total mess. You get your world
ripped out from you like that -- you
don’t know if you can trust anyone
again. And Deb... she pulled me out
of it. It wasn’t anything she said
or did -- it was her just being
there. Always there.!
Trevor trades a quiet look with Laine, moved by her words. !!
LAINE (CONT’D)
I never got to say ‘goodbye.’
Together their hands move the planchette to the words GOOD
BYE at the bottom of the Ouija board. Overcome with sadness,
Laine can barely say the words...
LAINE (CONT’D)
Goodbye, Debbie.
15.
INT. LAINE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Laine’s back home. Alone in her room. And she now has the
OUIJA with her. She sets the board on her desk. Slides the
planchette on GOOD BYE at the bottom. Laine lights a votive
candle next to the board. A remembrance.
TIME LAPSE DISSOLVE... as the candle burns low... flickers
out... the light in the room fading on the board.
INT. LAINE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
It’s late. !The room sits in darkness. !We’re on the Ouija
board... the planchette still rests on the words GOOD BYE.!
DRIFT OVER TO LAINE. !Asleep.
We hover above the bed as...
...very slowly... almost imperceptibly... the bedside table
begins to slide away from the bed.
Laine wakes up. !Listening in the dark as she hears something
moving in her room. !
Laine sits up, reaches over for her lamp... and it’s not
there. She looks over to see that her bedside table is now
three feet away from the bed. The light cord from the lamp
swings slightly.
And that sound comes again.
sliding around in the room.
SCRAAAAPE... something else is
Laine gets out of bed, turns on the lamp -- and the sound
immediately stops.
Laine steps over to see the OUIJA BOARD on the desk where she
left it. But something looks different. The planchette has
moved... no longer on GOOD BYE at the bottom of the board.
Laine stands right over the board... sees that the planchette
is now on top of the letter ‘D.’
Laine is chilled by the sight of it. She cautiously reaches
out and touches the planchette... glances around her room -‘what just happened?’!
INT. LAINE’S BEDROOM - DAY
Morning. Laine’s getting dressed as Sarah shuffles past in
the hallway... just now waking up.
LAINE
Hey, Worm -Sarah pokes her head in.
LAINE (CONT’D)
-- were you in my room last night?
16.
Wait.
SARAH
What? --
LAINE
-- were you messing around in here.
Yes or no?
SARAH
No. God. I wasn’t in here.
You’re trippin’.
Sarah moves on.
Ouija.
Laine stands there, looking down at the
INT. DINER - DAY
Local hangout. Family-owned kind of place. !Laine sits with
Trevor and Isabelle at a booth. !Isabelle wears a waitress
uniform, taking a break from her shift.
Laine is in the middle of her story -LAINE
-- and then the planchette had
moved to the letter ‘D.'
TREVOR
The board must've gotten bumped -LAINE
-- it did not get bumped, Trevor.
Stuff was moving in my room.
Trevor reaches across the table... takes Laine’s hands.
TREVOR
Laine. !Everyone’s in shock. !But
you don’t need to keep feeling
guilty about this. Last night...
you were having some crazy
nightmare.
Laine's frustration is growing. !She pulls her hands away.
LAINE
I wasn't asleep. !It’s Debbie.
She's trying to contact me.
Isabelle and Trevor exchange a worried look.
a softer approach -ISABELLE
Let's say she is. What do you
think she wants?
Laine looks at them. !Very serious.
Isabelle tries
17.
LAINE
She wants me to play the game.
TREVOR
Are you being for real?
Laine fights her emotions.
Trying not to fall apart.
LAINE
You ever think that even after
someone you love has died... there’s
still a way they can reach out? What
if the game is real this time? I
need to talk to Debbie. Please. Do
this with me.
The COOK at the kitchen window hits the bell. DING! !Order
up. A man in a tie -- ISABELLE’S FATHER -- angrily waves at
her to get back to work.
ISABELLE
Of course... I’m in.
Trevor nods, uncomfortable about this.
Me too.
TREVOR
EXT. LAINE’S HOUSE - DAY
Laine stands out at the curb as her FATHER finishes loading a
suitcase and hanging bag into the back of a waiting TAXI CAB.
Mr. Moreno closes the trunk, comes over to Laine.
MR. MORENO
I hate to leave right now.
LAINE
We’ll be okay.
MR. MORENO
Once these permits get approved,
I’ll be back. !Might be a few days
though.
Laine nods.
MR. MORENO (CONT’D)
Nona will drop by, check in on you
guys -- but you know she can’t keep
up with Sarah. !
LAINE
I got it covered.
He gives her a smile, but his eyes are filled with worry.
18.
MR. MORENO
Love you, baby.
LAINE
Love you too, Papi.
CLOSE UP OF A BLACK AND WHITE PHOTO. Artistic. !Half of
Laine’s face and half of Debbie’s face. Side by side.
Staring right at the camera.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - NIGHT
From the photo on her wall collage, EASE OVER to find Laine
at her desk... looking down at the OUIJA BOARD. Beat, then
she places the board into her backpack and zips it up.
INT. LAINE'S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS - NIGHT
Sarah's on the living room couch. !History textbook open.
Notes. Studying hard.
Laine steps in, backpack over her shoulder.
LAINE
C’mon. I have to run out. I’m
dropping you off at Nona’s.
DEBBIE
Laine, I’m totally in the middle of
this. Dad put me on blast, so look
-- I’m studying.
Laine regards her sister for a long beat.
LAINE
One hour and I’ll be back. There’s
some dinner stuff in the fridge.
Sarah, do you hear me?
Sarah barely looks up from her book.
One hour.
SARAH
I got it.
Later.
EXT. LAINE'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Laine comes out of the house... takes a few steps down her
walkway. !Glances over --- to see that same CAR Sarah got out of the other night now
parked in front of the house next door. Lights off, but
music playing inside. !BASS THUMPING.
Laine starts walking toward the car.
LAINE
Hey! !I see you, asshole!
19.
Laine has a plastic water bottle and throws it at the car!
THUNK. !The car lights quickly turn on -- engine revs and the
vehicle peels out.
Sarah storms out of the house, furious.
SARAH
-- the hell, Laine!
LAINE
For a minute there I actually had a
little faith in you.
Sarah’s a swirl of fury and hurt.
SARAH
We hang out -- what’s wrong with
that?!
LAINE
What’s wrong is that you’re fifteen
and whoever that dude is should
know better. Alright. Since you
can’t be left alone, you're coming
with me.
What?!
SARAH
I’m not going anywhere.
Laine goes quiet... and then -LAINE
You know what? I’ll let Dad deal
with it. I think he said if you
slipped up again -- at all -- you'd
have to go to that special school.
You know, where they send the
'problem kids.' !I'm sure it's nice.
Oh, but remember, when you have to
use pepper spray on your fellow
classmates, extend your arm away
from your face.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
LOOKING DOWN FROM AN UPSTAIRS WINDOW. Laine moves through
the dark backyard past the covered pool... followed by
Trevor, Isabelle and Sarah.
Linger here. At the side of the window, what we thought was
the edge of the curtain suddenly MOVES. Someone steps
away... sinking back into the shadows of the house.
INT. DEBBIE'S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS - NIGHT
Furniture sitting in the dark.
Hold for a long beat...
20.
...as LAINE enters the quiet space. She glances around,
passes the vintage clock she looked at before... making sure
the coast is clear. She turns and signals to the others who
are waiting by the back in the kitchen.
They all step further inside.
Isabelle turns on a lamp --
ISABELLE
This feels wrong. We shouldn’t be
here.
-- Trevor comes up behind Isabelle, turns off the light.
TREVOR
No house lights.
draw attention.
We don’t want to
Trevor pulls an LED camping lantern from his backpack and
turns on the low light.
LAINE
I thought we’d do this up in her
room. That’s where we used to play.
Sarah steps over to Trevor -- an aside.
SARAH
I don’t know how you think you’re
gonna ‘talk’ to someone with that
thing.
(going into a little
routine)
‘Yo. Can you hear me now?
Signal’s bad. I’m only getting
like one bar here.’
TREVOR
Your sister needs to do this.
zip it and go along.
Fine.
Just
SARAH
I’ll lead the way.
Sarah takes Trevor’s lantern, heads for the stairs.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT
Sarah is ahead of the others. Moving down the dark upstairs
hallway. We follow her into -INT. DEBBIE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Sarah comes into the room. She shines the lantern around.
Looks at the tree mural across the wall. FOLLOW THE LANTERN
LIGHT, scanning things on Debbie’s shelves, over to the bed --- and SOMEONE’S SITTING RIGHT THERE IN THE DARK!
21.
SARAH SCREAMS!
Drops the lantern.
Backs away.
Laine, Isabelle and Trevor hurry into the room to find Sarah
standing with her back against the wall. Staring. Laine
follows her gaze -- as the PERSON sitting on the bed now
stands... steps further into the light. !
It’s the loner GUY who Laine saw at Debbie’s wake. !This is
PETE (17).
TREVOR
Who the hell are you --
LAINE
-- what’re you doing up
here?!
Pete coolly takes them in. !Not ruffled in the slightest.
PETE
Everyone just chill.
TREVOR
You got three seconds to answer me -PETE
-- I’m Pete. !Friend of Debbie’s
from theater class. !Transferred in
last fall.
LAINE
-- she never talked about a 'Pete.'
I think I'd know if you were
friends.
Pete regards Laine.
PETE
Laine, right? !Heard all about you
from Debbie... the falling out you
guys had. How you stopped talking
to her.
Laine's stung by his comment.
a DVD.
A beat and then Pete holds up
PETE (CONT’D)
In answer to your questions, I told
Debbie’s folks I’d burn a DVD of
her last performance. !Promised to
drop it off. !I didn’t know they
were already gone.
(beat)
Back door was unlocked, so...
Fine.
room?
LAINE
But why are you in Debbie’s
Pete glances over at the CLOSET.
22.
PETE
Guess I wanted to see where it
happened. Still can’t believe she
would do that...
The room finally settles. !Pete connects a look with Laine.
Your turn.
PETE (CONT’D)
What’re you doing here?
TREVOR
Laine, you don’t have to tell him
anything.
Pete’s eyes fall on the OUIJA board in Laine’s hands.
PETE
That’s hers, right? Last couple of
weeks, she talked a lot about that
game.
Beat.
Laine can’t hide her surprise at this new info.
LAINE
Did you ever play it with her?
PETE
No. !She wanted me to. !Bugging me
about it... and then she quit
asking. !Said she found another
friend to play with.
Pete glances at all of their faces.
PETE (CONT’D)
That’s why you’re here.
to talk to Debbie.
Gonna try
A beat and then Pete hands Laine the DVD. !
PETE (CONT’D)
Then I’ll let you guys do your
thing. If you can get this to her
parents, I’d appreciate it.
Pete heads out of the room.!
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY
As Pete heads toward the stairs.
Hold up.
LAINE
Pete stops as Laine approaches.
It’s just the two of them.
23.
LAINE (CONT’D)
She really wanted you to play?
Off his expression we go -THE FLOOR. !Laine sets up the OUIJA BOARD. !Places the
camping lantern next to it. !Just the right amount of light.
Trevor adjusts his VIDEO CAMERA on a tripod, aiming it down
on the Ouija board. !He glances back at Pete, and then comes
down next to Laine. !Very quiet -TREVOR
We don’t even know this guy...
Laine cuts a look at Pete. !He’s at Debbie’s desk, browsing
through her things.
LAINE !
But Debbie did... she wanted him to
play. !The more of her friends
around the board, the more likely
we make contact.
(beat)
You finish setting up the camera?
TREVOR
Yeah. !We’re all ready.
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Everyone’s now gathered in a circle around the Ouija board.
Sarah starts to touch the planchette, but Laine stops her.
LAINE
The rules first. !You can’t ever
break them. !For starters... never
play Ouija in a graveyard.
Okay.
ISABELLE
Obviously we’re good there.
LAINE
Don’t ask for any physical signs -it should only be questions and
answers. !Always end a session with
‘good bye.’ !And the most important
one -- do not play alone.
Pete reaches a hand in. The first to touch the planchette.
He’s ready. Hesitant vibe in the room -OVERHEAD. !THE BOARD. !As everyone else puts a hand on the
planchette. Fingertips touching.
24.
LAINE (CONT’D)
We circle the board five times to
begin. Once for each of us.
The planchette circles the board five times clockwise... then
comes to rest at the center.
Laine takes a breath... her words are like a summoning.
painted tree limbs of Debbie’s wall mural stretched out
behind her.
The
LAINE (CONT’D)
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you.
(beat)
If there is a presence here, please
make yourself known.
Nothing happens. The planchette is totally still. Isabelle
and Trevor trade a side glance, just wanting this to be over.
Laine remains focused on the board, asks again -LAINE (CONT’D)
Is there a presence among us?
Another long moment passes.
And then...
PETE
I feel something.
Feel what?
TREVOR
Nothing’s happening.
We ever so slightly PUSH IN ON THE BOARD -- and the
planchette starts moving. Slowly at first. The movement is
stuttered... tentative. But definitely moving.
C’mon.
Not me.
SARAH
Who’s doing that?
ISABELLE
The planchette keeps moving into the upper left hand corner
of the board, stopping on the word YES.
PETE
Can you tell us who you are?
Beat... then the planchette slides over to the ‘D.’
eyes widen. She’s breathless.
LAINE
It’s her. I told you.
she was here.
(MORE)
I told you
Laine’s
25.
LAINE (CONT'D)
(out into the room)
Debbie... talk to us.
With eerie movement, the planchette LITERALLY STARTS TO TURN
UNDERNEATH THE PLAYERS’ FINGERS. Like it’s pointing in a
direction... then moves with a sudden quickness to the letter
‘H’... now over to ‘I.’
LAINE (CONT’D)
She’s spelling something.
EVERYONE WATCHES... their faces bathed in the cool blue LED
light of the camping lantern, as --- the planchette glides across the board.
Each one coming faster: F-R-E...
More letters.
(Visual note: we won’t show every letter when the Ouija is
spelling out messages. The game sessions will always be a
combination of fast stylistic shots of seeing certain letters
appear in the planchette window, and characters talking out
the messages as they happen.)
VIDEO CAMERA FOOTAGE. That fixed angle on the tripod.
Looking down at the circle of players... hands on the
planchette... as the game piece moves uncannily again to the
letter ‘D.’ And stays there. Finished with the message.
Everyone’s fingertips remaining on the planchette. Sarah is
fully engaged now -SARAH
It spelled ‘hi friend.’
ON LAINE -- astonishment filling her eyes.
Hi friend.
LAINE
Isabelle and Trevor trade that worried look again. Isabelle
asks a question, pretending that she believes in this -ISABELLE
Laine thinks you’re trying to make
contact.
Nothing happens.
LAINE
Have you been in my room -- was
that you last night?
The planchette TWITCHES, then slowly slides again to YES.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Is there something you're trying to
tell me?
26.
The planchette TWITCHES again under their fingers, moves to
the number ‘3’... now over to another number -- ‘0.’
Pete watches -- trying to follow it all.
PETE
It’s a number.
‘306.’
NOW LETTERS... the planchette criss-crossing the board and
then coming to a stop.
ISABELLE
And ‘B D Y.’
SARAH
What does that mean? ‘Body’?
initials? Somebody you know?
Or
Laine shakes her head.
LAINE
Debbie? Deb... I want to
understand.
Trevor sees the hope in his girlfriend’s eyes. !It’s killing
him. !
TREVOR
Okay. !I think we’re done here --- No.
LAINE
We can’t stop.
Not now.
VIDEO CAMERA FOOTAGE. Trevor looks up into the lens, with
his free hand, uses his remote to widen out the angle on the
room. We stay in VIDEO CAMERA MODE -TREVOR
This isn’t real. And if it is, I
need some proof --- Whoa.
ISABELLE
What do you mean proof?
TREVOR
I want Debbie to show us that she’s
here. C’mon. Show us something -LAINE
-- Trevor! That’s breaking a rule.
You can’t ask for a physical sign.
TREVOR
No. !It’s me asking to see
something that’s not this guy
pushing the planchette around --
27.
Trevor’s glaring at Pete as he says this.
PETE
-- wait. !You think I’m doing this?
Isabelle is starting to grow uneasy.
ISABELLE
-- let’s just say ‘goodbye’ and end
the game.
There’s a sound out in the house. A low CREAKING.
falls silent. Listening... listening... and --
Everyone
BAM! !OUR POV suddenly shakes. !Like the camera’s been hit
hard. !THE POV TIPS BACK ON THE TRIPOD -- FALLS! !CRASHING TO
THE FLOOR. !We’re staring up at the ceiling.
LAINE (O.S.)
Who knocked the camera over?!
Shadows on the ceiling as Trevor comes running over. !Picks
us up. !Checking the camera.
TREVOR
It’s okay. !Still working -TREVOR SWINGS THE CAMERA AROUND. On the floor, the
planchette has been knocked off the Ouija board. Sweep
around to see that everyone’s on their feet. Rattled.
But Laine’s not with the group.
Laine?
TREVOR (O.S.) (CONT’D)
The camera eventually finds Laine... out in the upstairs
hall. Standing there very still.
TREVOR (O.S.) (CONT’D)
What is it -Laine holds her hand out to silence him. She’s trying to
hear something. We move out into the hallway.
Laine points toward the stairs -- angle turns -- where we
hear faint CHIMING MUSIC coming from downstairs.
LAINE
You hear that?
Laine moves down the hall and disappears around the corner to
the stairs.
Laine --
TREVOR
28.
Sarah steps up, holding the camping lantern.
Pete --
Trevor turns to
TREVOR (O.S.) (CONT’D)
-- dude, you got a friend down
there or something?
PETE
I came solo -- swear.
Laine!
TREVOR
There’s no answer from below...
Trevor takes the lantern from Sarah, moves out in front of
the others with the light...
...the lantern light pushes into the shadows ahead. Past
framed photos of Debbie hanging on the staircase wall. The
further we go, the more distinct that MUSIC becomes. A
delicate and haunting melody.
Trevor arrives DOWNSTAIRS, catching his reflection in a
hanging wall mirror. Across the room, we see Laine standing
next to the VINTAGE ANNIVERSARY CLOCK. Mechanisms turn
inside the glass dome as the MUSIC plays.
Trevor approaches Laine.
She keeps staring at the clock.
LAINE
This was broken since we were
kids... hasn’t worked in years.
And then the MUSIC winds down... stops. Laine looks away
from the clock, talking out into the downstairs. Urgent.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Deb. I know it’s you. You’re
right here with us. Tell me what
you want me to do.
TREVOR
It’s not her -LAINE
-- then how do you explain this?!
SARAH (O.S.)
Guys... where’s Pete?
CAMERA PANS around... and Pete's missing. !It's just the four
of them.
Pete?
SARAH (CONT’D)
29.
The house is so quiet now...
ISABELLE
I thought he was standing right -SMASH! !A shattering sound rips through the darkness! !It
JOLTS everyone. !Trevor loses his grip on the camera for a
moment. !It bobbles. Finally re-adjusts, and now we're
FOLLOWING THE OTHERS THROUGH THE HOUSE. !Passing furniture in
the dark. Searching.
(A LOW BATTERY warning starts flashing on the upper part of
the camera screen.)
Around a corner. !There's Pete in a downstairs hallway.
Blood on his shirt. !He looks stunned.
LAINE
Oh my god you're bleeding!
On the floor, large pieces of a BROKEN MIRROR. !Shattered.
CAMERA CATCHES SIGHT OF PETE'S HAND -- a DEEP RED SLICE
across his palm.
PETE
I saw someone...
Where?!
LAINE
Pete points to a shadowed corner.
PETE
Standing right there.
CAMERA PANS OVER... lantern light aims that way as well...
blowing out the shadows. !Just an empty corner.
PETE (CONT’D)
I saw a reflection... in the
mirror. !And then it fell. !I was
reaching out -Pete stands there in the hall... apart from the others.
Battery warning BEEP. And then picture goes out. !BLACK.
OUT OF THE DARKNESS, a light breaks through. Shining
brighter. FLARING OUT. PULL BACK. It’s a porch light,
finally revealing -EXT. LAINE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Laine stands at her front door with Trevor. She’s still
wired from playing the game, holding Trevor’s video camera.
30.
LAINE
Can I hang on to this? I want to
go through the footage. Take
another look at her messages.
Trevor doesn’t say anything. Laine looks up at him and sees
his expression. Hard to read.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Why are you looking at me like
that?
TREVOR
I’m worried about you. That you
need this game to mean something.
LAINE
You were there. You saw what
happened tonight.
TREVOR
Yeah. And that guy Pete was there
too. I don’t know what he’s up to,
but he’s messing around with your
head. You believe that he saw
someone in the house... the mirror
just falling like that?
His hand.
himself?
LAINE
Why would he do that to
Trevor shrugs... gazes off.
TREVOR
I mean... we really don't know what
he was doing there tonight. !Do we?
Laine doesn't answer. !Because Trevor's right -- she doesn't
know. !Trevor gives her a kiss, but he’s preoccupied.
‘Night.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
Laine heads inside. Closes the door. We hear it LOCK from
the inside. Trevor heads back to his car. His keyless entry
CHRIPS. He’s about to get in... taking one last look around.
The nighttime street is totally empty... no one around.
And yet, something feels changed.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - ATHLETIC FIELD - DAY
Girls dressed for Phys Ed stream out of the locker room,
tossing a volleyball around. Laine’s the last one. !Heading
to join the others on the field when --
31.
Laine.
PETE (O.S.)
Laine turns. !Sees Pete standing there behind the bleachers.
He approaches. !Laine glances at his bandaged hand. !It's
awkward between them.
LAINE
How's your hand?
PETE
Better. !Thanks.!
Pete stands there. !Uneasy.
PETE (CONT’D)
Last night... with the game. !What
do you think really happened?
Laine doesn't say anything. !Cautious. !Pete keeps going...
PETE (CONT’D)
Because I was reading these
theories about the Ouija. !One of
them said it’s our subconscious
minds moving the planchette. !You
know? !Involuntary motor muscles
kick in and we're just telling
ourselves what we want to believe.
(beat)
There are only two things it can
be. Either our minds are playing
tricks on us... or we were really
talking to Debbie last night.
Laine regards Pete... and then she breaks. !Putting her true
feelings out there.
Yeah.
LAINE
I believe it was her.
Pete quietly nods... turns away. !Like he's trying to hold
back his emotions.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Did you like her? !You know... more
than friends?
PETE
We hung out in class. She!always
said I was a good listener. !Yeah.
I thought maybe there could be more
between us. !That I should ask her
out. !But I never did...
(beat)
Deb used to talk about you.
(MORE)
32.
PETE (CONT'D)
The day you guys had that fight, she
was upset. !Whatever went down -not my business. !But all the
stories she told me, the good times - feels like I already know you.
We hear Isabelle SHOUTING from the field -ISABELLE (O.S.)
Laine -- let’s go!
Laine glances over toward the field... suddenly feeling
isolated back here with Pete behind the bleachers. !The two
of them are out of view of the others.!
LAINE
I should go.
Pete takes a step toward her.
Standing very close now.
PETE
Laine, what do you think Debbie’s
trying to tell you?
INT. HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER LAB - DAY
STUDENTS at work on an assignment, but Laine’s turned away
from her computer. Looking down at the palm of her hand.
CLOSER WITH LAINE. The Ouija message from last night written
in pen on her hand: 3 0 6 B D Y.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY
Laine has snuck out of class, moving with purpose down the
empty hallway. Whispering numbers -LAINE
299. !300. !301.
Laine scans down a row of STUDENT LOCKERS.
306.
Stops at --
LAINE (CONT’D)
REVEAL that Laine is standing in front of locker #306.
Remnants of a makeshift memorial. Notes. Wilted flowers
stuck in the locker vents. It’s Debbie’s locker.
Combination lock still attached. !
Laine looks back at the message written on her hand: !B D Y
LAINE (CONT’D)
‘B-Day.’ !Debbie’s birthday.
Laine enters a series of numbers and CLICK -- to her
astonishment -- the lock falls opens. Laine hesitates...
33.
glances around the hall... wondering if she should even be
doing this.
LAINE (CONT’D)
This is crazy...
SOMEPLACE DARK. A metallic rattle, a door opens... light
spilling in. We’re deep inside Debbie’s locker, looking out
at Laine. Linger here for a moment, then -WITH LAINE -- as she checks things out. A messy math BINDER.
Graded papers in folders. A couple cans of Red Bull.
LAINE (CONT’D)
What do you want me to find...
Laine keeps digging. !Pushes aside a sweater in the back of
the locker to find a black and white marbled NOTEBOOK.
Notebook pages flip to reveal... doodles... to-do lists...
math scratch paper. !Nothing of significance. !Laine keeps
flipping... !
...suddenly stops on a detailed sketch of a OUIJA BOARD. And
as Laine slowly turns the page, there’s more. VINTAGE PHOTO
COLLAGES of people playing Ouija. Eerie images printed from
the internet that depict seance type gatherings and spirit
contact. This wasn’t done in the name of art. It feels like
the outward signs of an increasing obsession.
JOURNAL ENTRIES and dates are mixed in with the images.
Debbie’s handwriting. Laine reads a passage quietly to
herself as her face fills with deep concern.
MAN’S VOICE
Laine... what are you doing?
Laine turns and sees the history teacher, MR. SATLOF,
standing at the end of the hall, watching her intently.
Nothing...
LAINE
Laine closes the locker, shutting us back into the DARKNESS.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - PARKING LOT - DAY
End of day. !Most of the cars already gone from the parking
lot. !We find TREVOR, Isabelle, AND LAINE hanging out by
Isabelle’s car. !Trevor has his bike out, resting against it.
CLOSER WITH THEM. !They’re flipping through DEBBIE’S JOURNAL.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Her journal... the whole thing.
Every word’s about playing the game
with some friend. !
(MORE)
34.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Over and over again. !Listen to
this...
(Laine reads)
‘...he's changed. !Started acting
really weird. !I don't want to play
with him anymore. !I'm going to
tell him tonight that it's over.’
Trevor takes the journal and flips to the next page to find
it blank. !
TREVOR
That was her last entry... written
the day she died.
(to Laine)
And you’re sure she never says a
name of who she’s playing with...
LAINE
No. !Like she was keeping a secret.
Isabelle swallows. !
ISABELLE
What if Debbie wasn’t alone that
night?
They all absorb the impact of this. !
TREVOR
That Pete guy. !Maybe he was with
her -LAINE
-- we don’t know that.
ISABELLE
I got an idea. !How about we just
walk away from all of this.
LAINE
I’m not walking away from Debbie.
Not again.
(beat)
If we figure out who this friend is
-- we figure out what really
happened to Debbie.
INT. LAINE AND SARAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Alone, Laine and Sarah’s grandmother NONA moves through the
house with a laundry basket. Spanish language TV on in the
background. !She picks up a stray sock on the stairs... and
notices another sock further up.
NONA
These girls...
35.
INT. LAINE AND SARAH’S HOUSE - DAY
Nona retrieves the other sock at the top of the stars, and as
she looks down the hall...
...sees that pieces of laundry are scattered on the floor
like a trail leading to Laine’s closed bedroom door.
Nona feels a chill. She puts the basket down, moves down the
hall, stopping at Laine’s door.
She hesitates at the door... then pushes it open.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Nona steps into Laine’s room and sees that the trail of
clothes continues across her floor to the bed.
UNDER THE BED... as NONA comes closer.
clothes. Closer... !
Picking up the
BACK WITH NONA. She gets down on her hands and knees, starts
to lift the dust ruffle when behind her -- a SCRAPING SOUND.
Nona turns. !Just as the Ouija planchette falls off the desk
and lands on the floor. !She picks it up. !Confused. !And as
she stands she sees the OUIJA BOARD on the desk. In an
instant, she realizes what she’s holding and drops it.
Backing away from the board right into -- Laine. Home from
school. Both of them scaring the hell out of each other.
LAINE
Nona, what’re you doing -Nona points at the Ouija board... but won’t look at it.
NONA
-- you should never touch such
things, let alone bring one into
your house -LAINE
-- it was Debbie’s. It’s just a
game. That’s all. Nona -Nona’s doesn’t want to hear it. She’s out of the room.
Muttering something to herself. Laine picks up the
planchette from the floor. Beat, and we’re -SUDDENLY TIGHT ON TREVOR. Sweating.
mask of total concentration.
Breathing.
His face a
EXT. SUBDIVISION STREET - DAY - LATER
Trevor bikes along the outer edge road of a neighborhood.
traffic out here. Body leaning forward on the bike.
No
36.
Pushing hard. A little further. Reaching a mental finish
line... and then he coasts. Sits up. Catching his breath.
EXT. PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL - DAY
Trevor takes a sip of water... walks his bike to the entrance
of a long pedestrian tunnel. HOLD HERE... as Trevor enters
and slowly disappears into the shadows ahead.
INT. PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL - DAY
Bike gears clickclickclick as Trevor makes his way through
the narrow tunnel... light fading on him as he goes deeper.
Up ahead, a sound coming from around a tunnel corner.
...SCRATCH-SCRATCH-SCRATCH-SCRATCH.
Trevor stops.
hear better.
Silencing the clicking of his bike so he can
The SCRATCHING gets louder... like nails on a chalkboard
echoing in this concrete corridor.
TREVOR
Hey -- somebody there?
No answer... but something MOVES. An abandoned SHOPPING CART
slowly rolls out from behind the corner... drifts to a stop.
Trevor peers ahead into the darkness. Can’t see around the
corner up ahead. Was it the wind... or did someone push it?
TREVOR (CONT’D)
Who is that?
The cart just sits there. Trevor leans his bike against the
wall and unclips a safety light from under the seat. He
starts walking toward that corner. Coiled. On edge. His
red light BLINKING into the darkness.
Pete?
TREVOR (CONT’D)
I swear to god dude --
He quickly rounds the corner -- and no one’s there. Trevor
regards the empty tunnel... his light still blinking when
suddenly -- a small ROCK comes skipping out of the darkness,
landing at his feet. Like someone just tossed it.
Trevor picks up the rock. Rattled. He moves toward the
direction it came from... notices a sign on the tunnel wall:
PLAYGROUND -- with an arrow pointing to the exit. Trevor
runs his light across the sign, revealing that it’s been
vandalized. Some of the letters wildly scratched off.
Just the word PLAY remains.
37.
Trevor raises his blinking light toward the empty darkness
ahead of him where the rock came skittering in from. He
starts to back away... unaware that in the brief flashes of
red light --- SOMEONE IS BEHIND HIM. Just a shape. And Trevor is
backing up right toward them. Closer. CLOSER. He turns --- and it’s just empty tunnel. His bike leaning against the
wall. Trevor stares. Can’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t
alone here.
INT. NONA’S APARTMENT - DAY
Laine comes inside with her grandmother. Turns on some
lights. It’s a comfortable apartment. The decor reflects
Nona’s life and heritage.
Laine and her grandmother say nothing.
Then, in Spanish --
NONA
The board. You used it. !Didn’t
you -- to try to contact your
friend?
Laine hesitates. !Then -LAINE
It was just once.
Nona touches the small gold cross that dangles from her neck.
NONA
Do not turn to divination for
answers. There are things beyond
us that we must simply leave alone.
Promise, Elena. !You get rid of it.
Never touch it again.
Nona’s warning hangs heavy in the air.
INT. LAINE’S CAR - DAY
Laine sits in her parked car outside her grandmother’s
apartment building. Conflicted. She glances over, the
corner of DEBBIE’S JOURNAL sticking out of her backpack.
MOMENTS LATER. Laine still in her car. Flipping through the
pages of the journal. She can’t pull herself away from this.
She studies a page that has OUIJA MESSAGES jotted down. The
word fragments make no sense. Laine writes one of them out
on a piece of paper trying to decipher it...
FNS HGME
Laine’s cell phone suddenly vibrates on the dashboard,
shaking her from her thoughts. !She answers --
38.
LAINE
Sure. !Of course -- I’ll go check
right now. !
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Evening has fallen. Laine pulls up to DEBBIE’S HOUSE and in
the sweep of headlights sees a WOMAN standing out in the
yard, looking up at the house.
Laine gets out of her car and approaches the WOMAN.
MRS. GALARDI. Just standing there.
It’s
LAINE
Mrs. Galardi -- your husband’s been
looking all over for you.
Mrs. Galardi points toward an upstairs window. !Riveted.
MRS. GALARDI
I saw her... up in the window.
A chill runs through Laine as she looks up at the window.
But it’s empty.
LAINE
It’s just the curtain.
Laine tries to guide Mrs. Galardi away from the house.
LAINE (CONT’D)
I told Mr. G. I’d wait with you here.
He’s going to take you back to your
sister’s. Okay?
MRS. GALARDI
What if Deborah’s still in the
house... and she needs me...
LAINE
There’s nothing for you in there.
Promise me you won’t go in the
house.
MRS. GALARDI
I’ve been having these dreams.
Debbie’s in her room... and
someone’s in there with her. And
my baby... she’s screaming... but I
can’t hear her.
Mrs. Galardi turns and takes Laine’s hand -- holds it tight -looking right at her with wild eyes.
MRS. GALARDI!
No one can hear her.
39.
INT. DINER - NIGHT
SUDDENLY, and quietly, we’re on a CHAIR. It just sits there.
EASE IN on the legs of the chair... as it starts to move...
sliding across the floor.
IN THE EMPTY DINER, WE FIND ISABELLE in her waitress uniform.
She pulls chairs out and flips them upside down on a table.
Sweeping underneath. Closing up for the night.
She heads toward the back, but stops at the daily special
board. A prankster has obviously rearranged the letters from
“Try Our Meatballs” to “Eat Our Balls.”
ISABELLE
That’s lovely.
She puts the letters back in place.
Then --
INT. DINER KITCHEN - NIGHT
Isabelle ties off a large bag of garbage... heads toward the
rear exit... passes her FATHER in the restaurant office as he
runs through the receipts.
EXT. DINER - BACK AREA - NIGHT
Isabelle comes out the back exit... nudges a brick against
the bottom of the door to keep it open.
She takes the sack of garbage over to the dumpster and heaves
it in. DRIFT AWAY FROM HER...
...over to the back door. As the brick door-stop begins to
slide across the ground. Sliiiding and -SHHHUNK. !Isabelle turns to see the door has fallen shut.
She steps away from the dumpster and comes over to the door.
Tries the handle. !No entry from the outside. !
Hey!
ISABELLE
She KNOCKS on the door. !Waiting. !Stuck out here alone
behind the restaurant. !Isabelle glances around. !The bulky
dumpster... her parked car... sodium vapor lights BUZZING
overhead.
Not a soul in sight... and yet... there is a presence. !Like
someone out there is watching.
Isabelle BANGS on the door again. !More urgent. !Doesn’t want
to be out here a second longer.
ISABELLE (CONT’D)
Dad! !C’mon, open up!
40.
There’s a faint fluttering sound. !Behind her.
Isabelle glances back. !Sees A FLYER on her car windshield.
Fluttering in the night breeze.
She goes to her car, passing through a pool of overhead
light. !Takes the flyer off her windshield. !Furniture Sale
Saturday! !She wads it up, and now notices something else...
The word ‘FREND’ written in the condensation on the driver's
side window. !The letters drip. !Like someone was just
here... having written the word with their finger. !
It seems innocent. !Isabelle wipes it away with her hand.
Stands there in the dark...
As her car ALARM suddenly goes off! !Scaring the hell out of
her. !It shrills through the night air. !Isabelle takes a
step back... something doesn't feel right. !The alarm keeps
BLARING as -KA-THUNK! !The back door finally opens. !Light from the
restaurant spilling out. !We hear her DAD from inside -DAD (O.S.)
What’s going on -- you okay?
DAD has Isabelle’s car keys. He shuts off the alarm.
Silence again. !Isabelle takes a final look at her car.
ISABELLE
Yeah. !I'm good.
She steps inside and pulls the door closed.
EXT. LAINE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Through a window, glimpse SARAH in the living room. Her face
bathed in the glow of her laptop screen. A GUY’S VOICE -GUY’S VOICE (O.S.)
Imagine what could happen if one
million minds came together with
the same mission.
INT. LAINE’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Sarah is on her laptop, watching a video on a website. A HIP
PODCAST GUY talks about the Ouija, as a ticker runs along the
top of the screen... 16,209 and counting.
HIP PODCAST GUY
That’s right, we’re gonna be
talking with the spirits. Hit the
join button. All you need is your
mouse...
41.
NOW A “VIRTUAL OUIJA” on the computer screen. A demo shows
someone with their hand on a mouse, slightly moving... as the
planchette on the virtual game board also moves.
HIP PODCAST GUY (V.O.)
...and you can take part in the
world’s biggest Ouija game ever...
Sarah slaps her laptop closed.
So lame.
SARAH
CUT TO:
THE OUIJA BOARD. Fingertips on the planchette as it moves
around to different letters. It’s the VIDEO FOOTAGE from the
other night.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Laine’s up late. Holding Debbie’s penguin keychain like a
worry stone -- watching the Ouija game video on her computer.
Playing back the part where the camera got knocked over. ON
SCREEN -TREVOR
If Debbie’s really here she can
show us -ISABELLE
-- let’s just say ‘goodbye’ and end
the game.
There’s a sound out in the house. !A low CREAKING. !Then -BAM! !OUR POV suddenly shakes. !Like the camera’s been hit
hard. !THE POV TIPS BACK ON THE TRIPOD -- FALLS! !CRASHING TO
THE FLOOR. !We’re staring up at the ceiling.
LAINE (O.S.)
Who knocked the camera over?!
Laine stops the tape. Silencing the chaotic volume of the
game. REWIND. Everything moving in reverse. She hits PLAY
again, watching an earlier moment. The argument -ISABELLE
Laine said no physical sign.
SARAH
So what? !I don't see anyone taking
their hand away.
Laine FREEZES the tape. REWINDS further and REPLAYS.
Watching the game as the planchette moves about the board.
42.
Specifically, she’s watching Pete.
read on his facial expressions.
Closely.
Trying to get a
Now studying his hand as the planchette spells out a message -starting to wonder if he is making it move.
She hits pause. The image freezes between frames. It
creates a weird effect... and it makes Pete look strange.
His features suddenly menacing.
Out in the hall... a floorboard CREAKS.
Laine just heard on the video playback.
Sarah?
Similar to the sound
LAINE
INT. LAINE’S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT
Laine comes down the hall.
bedroom door.
So irritated.
She opens Sarah’s
LAINE
Worm, if you’re sneaking out -But Sarah’s not in her room. Beat... Laine continues down
the hall, to THE STAIRS -- and finds Sarah standing a few
steps below... quietly staring ahead.
From the top of the stairs, Laine can see that the front door
is wide open, lightly THUMPING against the wall... leaves
blowing in across the foyer from the outside.
Sarah slowly turns back... looking up at Laine.
Quiet --
SARAH
Someone’s in the house.
They hold a rising, terrified look as the sound of something
heavy suddenly SCRAPES on the floor downstairs. Like someone
accidentally bumped into a piece furniture in the dark.
Sarah bolts back up the stairs to Laine -- and together they
hurry into -INT. LAINE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Laine silently pulls at Sarah, over to the closet. A hiding
spot. The two girls moving quickly -- quietly slipping into
the closet. Closing the door.
INT. CLOSET - NIGHT
Very dark in here. Laine and Sarah huddle close in the small
closet. Voices so quiet and scared --SARAH
Ohmygodohmygod...
43.
LAINE
Shh-shh. Do you have your phone?
Good. Call for help.
SARAH
Who the hell’s in our house?!
LAINE
Just call -Their faces visible in the faint glow of Sarah's cell phone.
THUD!
A sound out in the house.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Sarah -- hurry.
SARAH
I’m trying.
Sarah can't even dial her phone. !Hands shaking so bad.
And now something SLAMS against the closet door! Hands over
their mouths, the girls want to cry out -- but can't. !Takes
everything they have to hold it in.
Another SLAM against the closet door.
Sarah drops her phone.
Laine grabs the closet door handle. Holds it tight.
to keep anyone from getting it open.
Trying
It’s an excruciating moment. Waiting for what’s next.
Breathing hard. Scared to death.
And then ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE on the!other side of the door.
It sounds like someone’s banging on the door with their
fists. BAM! BAM! BAM! Over and over and over. Relentless.
The CLOSET DOOR RATTLES HARD -- someone’s trying to get in!
Sarah can't even hold back anymore.
back into the corner of the closet.
She SCREAMS.
Falling
Laine holds tight -- with everything she’s got. BAM! BAM!
BAM! Louder... LOUDER... SO GODDAMN LOUD! And then --- it stops. !Completely.
All the noise.
Silent.
The longest beat... the girls hold absolutely still.
then Laine gently turns the door handle.
Don't.
SARAH (CONT’D)
Laine does it anyway. !Opens the door...
And
44.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - NIGHT
The girls emerge from the closet. And even in the dark,
right away -- they can tell that something’s different.
SARAH
Where’s your bed?
Moved.
LAINE
Over there.
SARAH
Everything’s moved.
The whole room has been rearranged. But there’s a
familiarity about the lay-out of all the furniture. Car
lights pass by outside, just for a moment -- casting a long
tree branch shadow across the wall.
Laine feels for a light -- CLICK.
It’s now set up just like Debbie’s room. Bed. Desk. Side
table. Even the OUIJA BOARD is at the center of the floor...
just like when they play it at Debbie’s house.
Sarah takes it all in... reeling.
SARAH (CONT’D)
This is so messed up... who would
do this?
Laine kneels down next to the Ouija board on the floor and
sees that the planchette is once again on the letter ‘D.’
LAINE
It’s Debbie. She wants us to play
again.
INT. DINER - DAY
Corner booth. !Away from the other customers. !Everyone who
played the Ouija is gathered. !Except for Pete. !Voices
hushed. !Urgent. !Talking over each other -LAINE
-- and all the furniture had been
moved. Arranged just like Debbie’s
room. The game sitting right
there. It was her way of saying we
need to come back to the board -TREVOR
-- Laine. !Stop it. This is a
living breathing person who’s
trying to freak us out. The game
is not real.
45.
ISABELLE
Then how do you explain someone
watching me last night, writing
messages on my car -TREVOR
-- it’s Pete. You ever wonder if
the guy might be a complete
psycho... making us think that it's
Debbie doing all this? I mean,
what do you want me to say here?
LAINE
I want you to say you believe in
this.
But Trevor won’t give her that.
Sarah has remained silent this whole time. !Still shaken by
the night before. !She finally speaks, her voice quiet...
SARAH
In our house last night, couldn’t
have been a person that did all
that. It was her. I’m with Laine.
We’ve got to keep going.
Isabelle looks at Laine.
Puts it out there --
ISABELLE
You think she's trying to tell us
the truth about how she died.
Laine holds her look. !It's dead quiet. !
LAINE
Someone killed Debbie.
ISABELLE
Why did we do this? Never should
have touched that thing...
LAINE
We have to talk to her. We get a
name... and then we’re done.!!!
No one says anything. Just an incredible sense of dread in
the air. And then jolting us like a clap of thunder -THE OUIJA BOARD. Larger than life.
fingertips touching the planchette.
FOUR HANDS reach in...
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Laine, Trevor, Sarah, and Isabelle sit on the floor in
Debbie’s room. !A couple of battery lanterns placed about the
dark room. !Everyone has a hand on the planchette.
46.
LAINE
Four circles this time. !One for
each of us.
They CIRCLE THE BOARD clockwise. !One. !Two. !Three. !Four.
The game has begun.
LAINE (CONT’D)
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you. If there’s a presence here,
make yourself known.
Long beat on the board... the planchette totally still. !
SARAH
It’s not working.
ISABELLE
Let me try. Debbie, it’s Iz.
you come and talk to us?
Will
Everybody remains intensely focused. Barely breathing. !EASE
IN on the planchette. !Closer and closer... a feeling of
passing time...
...and nothing happens. !It sits there. !Lifeless.
SARAH
I don’t understand.
ISABELLE
We’re doing everything exactly the
same.
LAINE
Not everything.
(beat)
Pete’s not here. Maybe because
there were five of us who made
initial contact... something about
our collective energy.
Beat... as Trevor gives Laine a look.
TREVOR
Collective energy. Sure. That’s
it. You know what? There’s one
way to find out.
ISABELLE
Bring Pete here -- what if it’s him
doing all this?
TREVOR
It’s okay, Iz. Laine, go ahead.
Invite him over.
47.
TIME DISSOLVE. FROM THE SHINING LIGHT OF THE CAMPING
LANTERN, we drift up to see that PETE is now sitting with the
others in the circle around the board. !He feels the tension.
No one’s talking to him.
PETE
So what’s going on with this little
gathering? Seems like the party
got started without me. You guys
tried to play already, didn’t you?
TREVOR
We’re going to do something
different this time, Pete.
Trevor has a bandana in his hand.
Pete eyes it.
PETE
Blackout. Okay, so we’re all
taking turns... or it’s just for
me?
For you.
LAINE
TREVOR
Unless you don’t want to stay.
Pete thinks about it -Fine.
PETE
Go ahead.
Trevor comes behind Pete. Ties the blindfold over his eyes.
Cinches it tight. Pete’s eyes are completely covered. !No
way he can see the board.
Before they start, Trevor quietly TURNS THE BOARD 180
DEGREES. It’s now upside down for Pete, and he’s unaware.
TREVOR
Okay, Pete. We’re starting.
The four friends reach in and put their hand on the
planchette. Pete blindly feels out and touches the
planchette with his bandaged hand. He’s the last one in.
Quiet beat on the Ouija...
Then, a TWITCH of the planchette. !IT MOVES.
slides across the board to the letter “D.”
Like before,
Laine and the others silently take note... then a suspicious
glance at Pete with his blindfold. Laine turns her eyes back
to the board.
48.
LAINE
Debbie, we want to help you. !Who
were you playing with? !Who was
with you the night you died?
The planchette slightly vibrates under their fingers... THEN
QUICKLY SLIDES ALL THE WAY OFF THE BOARD.
SARAH
Whoa. !What does that mean?
TREVOR
Because he can’t see. So he’s just
sliding it off the board -PETE
-- I didn’t do that --- Trevor.
LAINE
Stop.
Laine moves the planchette back onto the board.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Give us a name. !Who were you with?
The planchette just sits there. !Everyone staring.
takes a breath, tries a new approach.
Laine
LAINE (CONT’D)
If you don’t want to say right now,
I understand. !How about something
else? Just so we know it’s you.
The planchette remains still.
LAINE (CONT’D)
The other night, you moved
everything around in my room.
A beat... and then the planchette slides to YES.
Laine exchanges a look with her little sister. !Sees the fear
on her face.
LAINE (CONT’D)
You really scared Sarah. !Let's not
do that anymore.
The planchette starts to move. !H - A - H - A.
‘Ha ha...’
SARAH
Laine suddenly doesn’t feel right about this game. !Something
is off.
49.
LAINE
Debbie. !The clock downstairs...
remember how it got broken? !
The planchette just sits there.
LAINE (CONT’D)
...when we were kids.
TREVOR
(under his breath)
What’re you doing?
Laine doesn’t answer. !Focused on the board.
LAINE
Who broke the clock?
The planchette hesitates. !Then spells:
M - E
Laine looks up at the others -LAINE (CONT’D)
I was the one who broke the clock.
It’s not her... !
(beat)
This isn’t Debbie.
SUDDENLY, WE’RE ACROSS THE ROOM. Watching the players from a
lurking perspective. Behind Debbie’s bedside table. The
lantern right in front of us moves. Just an inch. The players
don’t notice... focused on the game. The lantern moves again.
Slowly sliding. It inches across the table and --- CRASH! Everyone spins at the sudden sound and sees the
fallen lamp on the floor.
PETE
What the hell was that?
Trevor in particular seems alarmed by the incident. He turns
back to look at the blindfolded Pete... suddenly not so sure
of his beliefs anymore.
Laine turns back to the planchette.
asks in a cautious tone --
The air feels thick. !She
LAINE
Who is this?
Like before, the planchette slides to 'D'... stops for a
moment, and then keeps going. !Over to 'Z.'
LAINE (CONT’D)
'DZ.' !We don't know you. !We want
to talk to Debbie.
50.
QUICK MOVEMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
planchette window: 2 B A D
‘Too bad.’
Letters appear in the
ISABELLE
LAINE
Did Debbie make contact with you?
The board spells out -- M-Y-F-R-E-N-D.
TREVOR
'My friend.'
A sick realization sets into Trevor’s expression.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
Wait. !Is this who Debbie was
talking about? !This is the friend.
EASE IN ON LAINE... a rising sense of urgency in her question
amidst the revelations -LAINE
When the five of us played
before... that was you?
Planchette slides to YES.
MOVE AROUND THE CIRCLE OF PLAYERS. A beat on each of their
faces... now connected to this game more than ever.
LAINE (CONT’D)
And the night Debbie died... she
was playing the game. !She was
talking to you.
CLOSE ON THE PLANCHETTE. !Totally still... and then it starts
to VIBRATE HARD. !Literally RATTLING against the board.
Everyone stares, keeping their fingers in place. This is
something new. Pete sits there with his blindfold in place.
Getting tense at only being able to hear.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Did you kill her?
The lights from the surrounding lanterns begin to BRIGHTEN.
A LOW GROANING SOUND coming from somewhere deep in the house.
Pete rips the blindfold off. Can’t take it anymore.
Desperate to see what’s going on.
Isabelle closes her eyes, saying a prayer to herself.
51.
ISABELLE
Please forgive us for what we have
done...
But Laine keeps pressing. !Has to know the truth.
LAINE
Did you kill Debbie?
The planchette shoots over to YES.
The LIGHTS BRIGHTEN EVEN MORE on everyone’s stunned faces.
That INHUMAN GROANING SOUND IN THE HOUSE coming from all
directions!
LAINE (CONT’D)
What do you want? !Tell us!
The planchette zig-zags from letter to letter around the
board. A new message -- FNSHGME
LAINE (CONT’D)
Debbie had the same message in her
journal. I don’t know what it
means -Pete looks sick because he figures it out -PETE
'Finish game.'
Those two simple words said out loud -- and the game feels
more ominous than ever. The players squint against the
impossible bright light. !The planchette RATTLING LIKE HELL
UNDER THEIR FINGERS!
Isabelle is the first to bail.
scrambles back from the board.
She yanks her hand away and
All of them now pull their hands away... backing away as
blinding light fills the room. Laine’s the last one at the
board. She pulls her hand away --- AND THE PLANCHETTE IS STILL MOVING.
a living thing twitching on the floor.
BY ITSELF!
It’s like
SARAH
Laine -- get away from it!
But she can’t pull herself away, shouting at the Ouija board -LAINE
We’re done! Do you hear me? We’re
not playing the game anymore!
52.
She watches as the planchette skitters to the bottom of the
board, and then SLOWLY GRINDS across the words that are
printed there. WE HOLD VERY CLOSE AS IT MOVES LETTER TO
LETTER:
G O O D
B Y E
Laine stares as the overhead light suddenly comes on.
Growing brighter along with the other lights. BLINDING.
pops! Glass showering down.
Pete pulls Laine away from the falling glass.
now safely against the wall.
It
Both of them
Lantern bulbs suddenly POP AND BREAK -- the entire BEDROOM
falling into PITCH DARKNESS. !We hear the commotion of
everyone screaming in panic. HARD CUT TO -EXT. EMPTY LOT - NIGHT
At the edge of the neighborhood... a dark vacant lot.
distance, THE GROUP stands around a small fire.
In the
CLOSER WITH THEM. Some newspaper and a few dry branches
burn. Orange light flickers on everyone’s haunted faces.
ISABELLE
What was that -The fire crackles. No one else says anything. Too rattled.
Trevor has a little flask out. Coiled tight as he takes a
sip. But Isabelle has to talk this out loud, processing -ISABELLE (CONT’D)
I mean... Debbie made contact with
something evil. You could feel it,
right? Like it was all over your
skin...
LAINE
Iz, it’s okay -ISABELLE
-- it’s not okay! Because when she
played she opened the wrong door or
something. The game was just
sitting there -- waiting for us.
Please.
SARAH
Stop. Talking.
But Isabelle is lost in her own thoughts.
Words tumbling out --
In tears now.
53.
ISABELLE
-- and then we touched it! We’re
all connected now to whatever the
hell it is! It got Debbie and now
it’s going to get us! -SARAH
-- shut up! Just shut up!
No.
PETE
It’s over.
Everyone looks over at Pete -- as he tosses the OUIJA BOARD
on top of the fire. The board starts to catch, curling at
the edges.
PETE (CONT’D)
The board’s gone.
The OUIJA BOARD is now fully consumed by the fire.
GOOD BYE blister and bubble in the heat.
The words
Isabelle wipes her eyes... trying to come down.
Sarah stands next to her big sister, as Laine pokes at the
burning OUIJA BOARD with a stick.
Silent, Trevor takes another sip from his flask, gazing into
the flames.
The fire pops. Pete stares up... watching the orange sparks
as they float into the night sky.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
Beginning of the day.
Cars pulling in the school lot.
Sarah, Laine and Isabelle walk toward the school.
No one’s in the mood to talk.
Silent.
Trevor locks his bike to the rack. !Sees Laine approaching,
but he heads off. Won’t even look at her. Something’s
forever changed between them.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL - CAFETERIA - DAY
Laine eats by herself.
She looks off, her eyes catch --
PETE. !Sitting a few tables away with a couple others of his
“type.” !He happens to glance over -- sees Laine.
He gives her a slight wave. !But it’s tinged with some
sadness. !Everyone back to their usual high school roles.
Laine returns the wave. !But she feels the distance too.
54.
Pete watches for a moment... students passing in front of his
view... as he goes back to his lunch.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREET - DAY
The sun starts to fade on Laine and Sarah’s house.
INT. LAINE AND SARAH’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Laine comes down the stairs, rounds the corner... and stops.
Visibly surprised by something.
REVEAL -- Sarah in the kitchen cooking dinner. !She’s even
set the table. !A lit candle flickers. !It looks nice.
Off Laine’s reaction -SARAH
No big deal. I’ve made dinner
before.
INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT - LATER
Laine and Sarah eat.
Laine tries to hide how bad it tastes.
LAINE
This fish is good.
SARAH
It’s chicken.
Sarah glances at Laine and they laugh.
A beat...!
SARAH (CONT’D)
I broke up with that guy. !
Laine nods.
Knows not to lecture.
SARAH (CONT’D)
I’m gonna get my shit together.
Stop skipping. !Nose to the
grindstone and all that. !A second
chance, you know.
These words are a such a relief to Laine. !
LAINE
I’m really proud of you, Worm.
C’mon.
SARAH
Don’t get all corny on me.
A smile as the two sisters keep eating.
to be said.
No more words need
55.
INT. LAINE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Laine’s at her desk. Lingering on the black and white photo
of her Debbie. She glances over... notices the little
keychain figure. Sees that the penguin’s head is coming
loose from the body.
Laine pulls on the head. !It comes off to reveal... the
keychain toy is actually a FLASH DRIVE.
Laine now has Debbie’s FLASH DRIVE plugged into her computer.
She clicks through folders. Searching. Opens up a folder
called LET’S PLAY that contains various VIDEO FILES.
Beat. Laine clicks and opens up the first file.
see the image, we hear familiar words --
Before we
LAINE AND DEBBIE (O.S.)
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you.
ON SCREEN. !LAPTOP CAM POV. !We recognize the tree mural of
Debbie’s room.
Laine sits with Debbie on the bed. !Hanging out. !They have
the Ouija board between them. !The footage feels very recent.
DEBBIE
Is Blake ever going to actually ask
me out -- or will he just keep
sending me naughty texts?
Both girls have their hands on the planchette. !It starts to
move -- jerky.
Okay.
LAINE
You’re being a spaz.
DEBBIE
That’s not me -LAINE
-- yeah, right.
The planchette slides to NO. !Debbie cuts a look at Laine.
DEBBIE
Hey -- you're supposed to give me
the answers I want to hear -LAINE
-- I didn't do that.
DEBBIE
I guess you don’t think he’s right
for me --
56.
LAINE
-- moving on. My turn.
Laine turns her attention to the board.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Ouija. !I heard a rumor that Debbie
isn't coming with me to college
next year. !Is that true?
Debbie hesitates. !Then visibly pushes the planchette to YES.
Laine takes her hands off the planchette. !
LAINE (CONT’D)
When were you going to tell me?
DEBBIE
I was trying to find the right
time. !Listen -- I’m glad you know
now because I’ve been dying to
share this with you. !I got this
amazing opportunity for a
photography internship in Spain -LAINE
-- but we were going to room
together and everything. !We had a
whole plan. !
DEBBIE
It’s just for a year -LAINE
-- I can’t believe you’re doing the
to me. !
Debbie seems crushed by Laine’s reaction.
DEBBIE
I was hoping you’d be excited.
That I landed this, you know. I’ve
always been then there for you.
ON LAINE AS SHE WATCHES. !Reliving this moment. !The regret
playing across her face as we hear the argument on the video
escalating. !Their voices getting louder.
BACK ON THE VIDEO -- Laine gets up. !Feeling totally
abandoned by Debbie.
LAINE
But you’re leaving me behind -DEBBIE
-- you’re my best friend. !This
doesn’t change anything between us--
57.
LAINE
It changes everything!
Laine storms out of frame. !Debbie is stunned. !
DEBBIE
Laine -- please.
this!
Let’s talk about
Debbie follows. !Voices continuing off.
Long beat. !The Ouija sits there. !Debbie returns. !Climbs
back onto her bed. !Upset. !
She regards the board... positions it in front of her. !Puts
her fingertips on the planchette. !Talking to herself,
fighting tears about the argument -DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Question: Is Laine going to keep
acting like such a little bitch?
Beat... the planchette TWITCHES. !Familiar. !Slides to an
answer. !Not in a way that looks like Debbie moving it, but
that it's really working. !It's obvious by Debbie's
expression that she's startled by the moment.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Okay. !That didn’t just happen.
Debbie reaches toward the laptop camera POV -- CLICK.
Switching the image off.
ON LAINE -- she opens the next file in Debbie’s folder.
ON SCREEN. COMPUTER CAM POV. Back in Debbie’s room.
OUIJA BOARD is set up on the floor.
The
Camera adjusts down a bit as DEBBIE leans into the frame.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Something very weird happened
yesterday. So I’m doing a little
test...
Debbie sits down at the Ouija Board.
Alone.
Debbie looks right at us... as if talking directly to Laine.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
I know. !I know. !Never play alone.
But I need to make sure I’m not
losing it.
Debbie puts her fingertips on the planchette and circles the
board. Once.
58.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Wanted to see if you were out
there... whoever was here last
night.
ON LAINE -- watching the footage intently.
volume up.
She turns the
DEBBIE has her eyes closed... fingers on the planchette.
Everything totally still. !Nothing happening. !
FOOTAGE FAST FORWARDS to further in the game. !Debbie still
sitting there with her eyes closed. !And then the planchette
starts to move. THE VIDEO STOPS, rewinds a few seconds then
resumes play.
The planchette now moves around the board. !Spelling -! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !H !I !F !R !E !N !D
Debbie stares -- amazed.
Whoa.
She’s made contact.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Hi friend.
LAINE is visibly unnerved. Seeing this evidence. Knowing
the fateful path her friend is heading down by playing the
game alone.
A SERIES OF SHOTS as Laine goes through Debbie's files.
CLIPS as the VARIOUS GAMES progress -- !
Debbie.
MORE
Another day.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Tell me your name.
The planchette slides to “D.”
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
‘D.’ !Okay. !’D’ what? !
The planchette moves fast to another letter -- “Z.”
‘DZ.’
DEBBIE!
Hey DeeZee.
LAINE -- her mind churning.
Cool name.
Whispering --
LAINE
D.Z. -- who is that?
Glimpses of other footage. ANOTHER GAME. !Debbie has
developed a bond with this “DZ spirit.” !She is so at ease.
Talking to the board like she’s in a confessional --
59.
DEBBIE
...it’s my birthday today and you
know what? She didn’t even call.
So the big plans are dinner with my
parents... I’m such a loser.
DIFFERENT CLIP.
Another bit of dialogue...
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
...the locker next to mine... see
I’m 306... and he’s 305 but he’s
got a girlfriend...
ON LAINE watching the tape.
Realizing --
LAINE
My God... she told it everything.
ON DEBBIE. !She's tentative. !Putting herself out there...
DEBBIE
You’re my friend. !Right... DZ?
The planchette slides quickly to: ! B - E - S - T
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Best friends. Cool. Since I’m
being completely blown off. Now
she won’t even answer my texts. I
mean... we've been friends our
whole lives. Guess I don't exist
anymore.!
ON LAINE as the color drains from her face. !She watches as
the planchette spells out: ! N-A-M-E
DEBBIE!
Her name? !Laine.
(beat)
Hey. You know the future, D.Z.
Right? Will we be friends again...
me and Laine?
The planchette falls totally still. ! !
ON LAINE as she watches. !Not taking a breath. !
And then the planchette slowly starts to drag across the
board with an eerie scraping sound. !The planchette moving
until it lands on -- YES.
I knew it.
DEBBIE
Laine swallows at the mention of her own name.
next file --
Clicks the
60.
Now -- A DIFFERENT CLIP. !Debbie's dark room. !We hear her
BREATHING, having just quickly grabbed and turned on her
camera. !Frame adjusting. The sound of something moving in
her room.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Something's moving... what is that -A LOUD SCRAPE. !Heavy across the floor. !Debbie turns on her
lamp, catching the last bit of movement as a chair in her
room slides by itself against the door. !Hold. !All we hear
is Debbie's BREATHING.
ANOTHER CLIP. !Debbie stands in her BATHROOM MIRROR, holding
the camera in one hand, pulling her shirt off her shoulder
with the other. There’s some kind of DARK MARK coming up
over the top of her shoulder.
She keeps the camera aimed at the mirror, turns around so she
can see her back... and there’s a much LARGER MARK across her
shoulder blade. Like something smeared on her skin.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
...the hell’s happening to me...? !
Debbie wipes at it with her hand. It comes off on her
fingers, a dark ash-like substance.
ANOTHER CLIP.
DEBBIE IS BACK AT THE OUIJA BOARD.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Let’s start a new game. How does
that sound? Okay. Good. Here we
go. As friends we’ve gathered...
(If it sounds familiar, it’s because we’re now seeing the
computer cam POV of what we heard in the opening scene...)
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
It was fun for a while, when we
first started playing. But... I
feel like you’ve changed.
(beat)
I mean, you’re still my friend,
right?
The planchette skids down the board to the words GOOD BYE and
slowly SCRAPES across the letters (just like it did in
Laine’s last game).
DEBBIE’S LOOKS RIGHT INTO THE CAMERA, VOICE TREMBLING -DEBBIE (CONT’D)
This is our last game. I’m not
playing ever again! Get out of my
room!
61.
LAINE KEEPS WATCHING... horrified by Debbie’s rising fear.
Debbie gets up from the Ouija board and walks out of frame.
HOLD HERE. The sound of Debbie opening her bedroom door.
Footsteps heading down the hall. Everything very still --- but in the background... a glass of water begins to eerily
slide across Debbie’s desk. Image GLITCHES then shuts off.!
Laine sits there staring at the blank screen. A SOUND. She
slowly glances over... a GLASS OF WATER on her own desk.
Beat. And then it slides. Just like on the video. Coming
toward her. Smooth and steady. Stops right in front of her.
Then nothing.
Silence.
And then --
-- HER WHOLE ROOM ERUPTS! THINGS HURLING OFF THE SHELVES.
So sudden and intense. Her laptop goes sliding across the
desk and FLIES INTO THE WALL.
Laine SCREAMS! Jumps to her feet as Sarah rushes into the
room. !Breathless.
Sarah takes in the destruction with terror in her eyes. !She
and Laine trade a sick look.
SARAH
The game...
LAINE
...it’s not over.
EXT. DINER - NIGHT
The restaurant sits like an island amidst the surrounding
empty parking lot. We see Isabelle through the windows...
closing up, putting chairs up on the tables as the last two
customers leave.
INT. DINER - NIGHT
Isabelle has the restaurant phone against her ear as she
closes out the register.
ISABELLE
...yeah. Dad, I got it. I know to
lock your office before I leave.
Okay. I’ll be home in a bit.
She hangs up. Goes over to the wall and turns out a bank of
lights. The restaurant FALLING DARK.
Isabelle gathers her purse from the counter, pulling keys out
when she suddenly STARTLES -- because SOMEONE has been
sitting in the far corner booth this whole time. Back
turned. In the shadows.
62.
Isabelle calls out -ISABELLE (CONT’D)
Excuse me, but we're closing up.
THE FIGURE doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. From the shadows,
all we can see are two little glints where the eyes would be.
Isabelle is suddenly weak with fear.
ISABELLE (CONT’D)
Did you hear me? We’re closed.
But THE FIGURE -- just. sits. there.
Isabelle moves cautiously -- grabs a knife from the counter
and hits the lights. BAM!
No one is there.
Booth empty.
Isabelle scans the restaurant -- but she’s alone. She sets
the knife down. Keys jingle in her hand. Ready to get out
of here. She moves for the door... and stops.
She stands at the daily special board.
have been rearranged, spelling out:
Frozen.
The letters
FNISH GAME
Hands trembling, Isabelle pulls her phone from her purse...
takes a photo of the FNISH GAME message... as if to prove to
herself that this is really happening.
INT. ISABELLE’S CAR - NIGHT
Isabelle pulls her door closed. Freaked out. She glances in
the rear-view and notices something on her neck. Tilts the
mirror down for a better look --- to see a DARK MARK across her neck... similar to what we
saw on the video of Debbie standing at her bathroom mirror.
Five long steaks down her skin, a larger smudge at the
bottom. It looks like a strange HANDPRINT.
Isabelle stares. Touches it.
fingers. Panic surging.
Black residue comes off on her
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Isabelle’s car speeds down the deserted late night streets.
INT. ISABELLE’S CAR - NIGHT
A heavy condensation has built up on the windshield.
Isabelle hits the defrost just as her cell phone on the
passenger seat starts RINGING.
Isabelle glances over at the caller ID screen -- it’s Laine.
63.
She reaches for the phone just as the light turns red. She
hits the brakes and the cell phone sliiides off the seat -slipping into the darkness underneath the passenger seat.!
Shit.
ISABELLE
EXT. INTERSECTION - NIGHT
Isabelle is the only car at the intersection. Engine
idles... red traffic light bleeding through the night haze.
INT. ISABELLE’S CAR - NIGHT
Isabelle puts the car in PARK. !The phone keeps RINGING as
she leans over... feeling around under the seat for it.
And while she’s down... we notice a light pole outside the
car slowing starts MOVING. As if somehow -- impossibly -the rest of the world is sliding past the stationary car.
The pole keeps moving... out of view. !
Isabelle finally finds her phone, sits up -- and something
doesn’t feel right. She looks out her window to see --- THAT HER CAR NOW SITS SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
INTERSECTION. Moved here without her even feeling it.!
ISABELLE
What... the...
And as she turns back to the front, Isabelle sees something
written in the condensation on the windshield -H I !F R E N D !
Totally frantic, Isabelle turns. Looking out every window
into the empty intersection. Who the hell did that?!
She hits the windshield wipers, desperate to get rid of that
finger written message. !The wipers squeeak back and forth
against the glass -- but the letters remain. !
Isabelle reaches out and runs her hand across the words and
to her horror... it wipes away.
It was written on the inside of the car!
Her eyes shoot to the rear-view mirror. Checking the back.
Nobody there. Just her coat laid across the back seat...
...but something starts to move under her coat.
Isabelle keeps her eyes glued to the mirror. Doesn’t dare
turn around. She keeps watching in disbelief and horror as a
FIGURE takes form under her coat.
64.
Isabelle FUMBLES with the door but she can’t get out. Stuck
in the car. She shoots another glance to the rear-view --- as a HEAD emerges from under the coat.
Just a dark awful shape.
Can’t see a face.
Isabelle struggles with her door. SCREAMING. Unaware that
lights are rising on her from the opposite direction. A fast
approaching BLARE OF A HORN.
Isabelle turns -- squints into the BLINDING LIGHT --- SMASH! Her car is literally SWEPT OUT OF FRAME! We hold
forever on the sudden empty space of the intersection... as
the night falls quiet again.
INT. LAINE’S CAR - NIGHT
Laine and Sarah drive.
Urgent.
Sarah’s on the cell phone.
SARAH
Trevor’s not answering.
LAINE
Isabelle’s probably still closing
up -- I already texted her. When
we get there we’ll try everyone
again.
FLASHING LIGHTS slowly rise across their faces. Laine brings
the car to a stop. Both sisters looking out the windshield.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Laine’s out of the car. Sarah close behind. Laine starts to
hurry toward the red spinning lights. Remnants of the
accident coming into view. Broken glass on the road.
EMERGENCY VEHICLES. Isabelle’s SMASHED CAR. Laine moves
faster, and now sees --- a SHEET COVERED BODY on a stretcher... loaded into the
back of an ambulance.
Laine stops in her tracks.
Shattered.
LAINE
No... no... this isn’t happening.
Laine staggers back from the scene.
road, crying. Beside herself.
Sarah stands on the
Laine can barely breathe. Slowly spinning. Wishing
something could make sense to her right now.
There’s a BUZZING sound in the tall grass on the side of the
road. Something glowing.
65.
Numb... Laine walks toward it. Reaches down into the
grass... and finds Isabelle’S CELL PHONE. Flung from the
vehicle during the accident.
A smear of blood across the screen: 1 MISSED TEXT - LAINE
Laine starts going through the phone. Anything that can help
her find out what happened. She looks at the recent PHOTOS.
Scrolls through them. Fun shots. Lots of pics of Isabelle
and Laine being silly. Then Laine stops.
It’s the photo of the MENU BOARD at the restaurant, the
message from earlier that night -LAINE (CONT’D)
Finish game.... !
PULL UP FROM LAINE AND SARAH ON THE ROAD... the red lights
sweeping across them with a creeping menace and we go -BLURRY PIXELS OF LIGHT. VOICES. PULLING BACK -- we see that
it’s the VIDEO of Laine and Debbie playing the Ouija in
Debbie’s room.
INT. LAINE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Very late. Laine sits at her computer. Watching the
footage. Still numb from Isabelle’s death.
ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN -DEBBIE
Is Blake ever going to actually ask
me out -- or will he just keep
sending me naughty texts?
Both girls have their hands on the planchette. !It starts to
move -- jerky.
Okay.
LAINE
You’re being a spaz.
DEBBIE
That’s not me -LAINE
-- Yeah, right.
Laine stops. Rewinds. Watches that moment again. The JERKY
FAMILIAR MOVEMENT OF THE PLANCHETTE. She rewinds again.
Playing those few seconds over. Watching closely. It’s
clear now that Debbie’s not moving the planchette.
There’s a STRANGE BLUR on the screen. Laine enlarges the
video image on her computer. CLOSER. There’s Laine’s hand,
Debbie’s hand -- and a THIRD GHOSTLY HAND also visible.
Touching the planchette.
66.
Laine freezes the image, thunderstruck by this new
understanding.
This was the actual first moment of contact with the
spirit... and she was part of it.
CLOSE ON A DOOR. !We don't know where we are. !Someone
knocks. !Beat. !Footsteps on the other side. !Click. !The
door unlocks and opens a bit. !It's Laine's grandmother NONA.
Looking now with concern at --- LAINE IN THE HALLWAY. !Her eyes pleading for help.
INT. NONA'S APARTMENT - DAY
Early morning. !Laine and Nona sit across from each other.
NONA
This is about the talking board...
the one that was in your room.
Yes.
LAINE
NONA
What have you done?
LAINE
Something very bad. !I didn't
listen to you.
NONA
And Sarah... she's part of this as
well?
Laine nods -- 'yes, both of us.'
Nona takes a heavy breath. !Her words come carefully -NONA (CONT’D)
Most of us -- our spirits -- move
on when we die. But for some, they
remain very close to this world.
If one of the living decides in
their heart to reach out and find
someone on the other side, a
connection can be made to that
place. !But to use such means can
be a danger. !You may knock, but it
is uncertain who will answer.
There are some spirits trapped in a
place of darkness and anger...
forever seeking a way back into our
world. It is possible that this
entity you have been speaking with
is someone who was evil in life...
and now evil in the afterlife.
67.
It's almost too much for Laine to take in.!
LAINE
What can I do?
Beat... Nona reaches out and takes Laine's hands.
NONA
Walk backwards in your footsteps -to the beginning. There you can
return things to where they were.
(beat)
You have opened a door to this
other side, now you must close it.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
Front of the school.
gray morning sky.
The flag sits at half-mast against a
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY
At Isabelle’s locker. A BUNCH OF STUDENTS have gathered.
Many flowers placed in the hallway. Notes taped to the
locker. The air heavy with the grief and shock of the death
of another student.
Laine and Sarah approach. Trevor's already there. !He seems
lost in his shock, unraveling. !Laine steps close to Trevor.
Just for him to hear -LAINE
-- I was going back through a video
of me and Debbie with the Ouija. I
had no idea... that all of this
started when Debbie and I played
together that last time.
(beat)
I’m going to fix this, Trevor.
Trevor stares at her for a long moment. !His eyes unreadable.
Laine pulls out Isabelle’S PHONE, shows Trevor the ‘FNISH
GAME’ photo.
LAINE (CONT’D)
That message. ‘Finish game.’
Debbie got it too. She never
figured out how to end it. But we
can. And then this is over.
TREVOR
You made us play.
Trevor’s tone is so cold.
68.
TREVOR (CONT’D)
This D.Z. kills Debbie -- kills
Isabelle. !It's coming for all of
us -LAINE
-- we can stop it.
Trevor suddenly explodes. !
TREVOR
You think you can do something?
There’s nothing. !Nothing we can do
to stop it!
STUDENTS turn. !Now watching Laine and Trevor. Not
understanding. !Pete approaches, trying to ease the situation.
PETE
Whoa -- Trevor. !Calm down.
Suddenly Trevor PUNCHES Pete and slams him against the
lockers. !Laine and Sarah SCREAM OUT in shock. !
TREVOR
So who’s next?! !You! !Me?!
The teacher MR. SATLOF hurries over to break up the fight.
MR. SATLOF
Guys -- hey, knock it off!
Laine is too paralyzed to even cry. !Her world falling apart.
Trevor lets go of Pete, pushes through the crowd of students
and takes off down the hall.
Pete wipes his face with his hand. !Bleeding from the nose.
Laine reaches out to help him but he waves her off with an
embarrassed look -- “I’m fine.” And then he heads off as
well from the scene.
MOMENTS LATER. The hallway has cleared. Mr. Satlof stands
with Laine. She looks stunned. Totally lost. She can’t
even make eye contact.!
MR. SATLOF (CONT’D)
Losing two friends in such a short
time -- emotions are all over the
place right now.
As we slowly ease in on Laine’s face...
69.
MR. SATLOF (CONT’D)
You need to talk to a counselor.
It’s going to take a while to feel
normal again, but you will overcome
this, Laine. There’s so much life
ahead for you.
Laine glances up at Mr. Satlof for the first time.
with urgency.
Vibrating
LAINE
You’re wrong. There’s no time
left.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - DAY
Empty auditorium. !Mostly dark. !A couple of work lights on
stage reveal painted scenery flats for a school production.
Laine wanders out onto the stage, looking around for Pete. !A
VOICE comes through the sound system.
PETE (O.S.)
If you're looking for me, I'm up
here.
Laine squints against the light and sees Pete in an enclosed
sound booth in the back of the auditorium.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - SOUND BOOTH - DAY
Laine enters the small blacked-out space of the sound booth.
The inner domain of the theater ‘tech crew’ guys. !Mixing
console. !Cable bundles. Laine finally breaks the silence -LAINE
Earlier, with Trevor -PETE
-- he’s scared.
We all are.
Laine’s mind is running on fumes at this point.
LAINE
The last page in Debbie’s journal.
She knew she was in danger. What
was she trying to do in that final
game?
Off their look -CLOSE ON A COMPUTER SCREEN. Internet searches about The
Ouija. Clicking through pages. “Real Encounters of the
Supernatural.” “Ouija: Myth or Magic?”
70.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM - SOUND BOOTH - DAY
Laine and Pete are on the computer. Looking for anything
that might help them. It’s all basic info.
Nothing.
sites.
LAINE
Same stuff on all the
Laine gets up. She goes to the window that looks out into
the auditorium. Everything feels like a dead end.
Pete stays at the computer. He types. Clicks. Types again.
Clicks. Starts reading something on the screen -Hey.
PETE
Come look at this.
There’s now a PARANORMAL WEBSITE pulled up on the computer.
PETE (CONT’D)
I entered ‘Ouija’ and the initials
‘D.Z.’ into a search and this is
what came up. I guess this
happened a while back.
Laine clicks into an article. The HEADLINE: “Friends Die in
Tragic House Fire.” She starts to read -LAINE
‘Investigators never found a cause
for a fire that took the lives of
three high school students while
they slept.’
As Laine reads, we glimpse accompanying PHOTOS (circa early
80’s) that are on the webpage. Three TEENAGE GIRLS hanging
out in a bedroom. Making faces. And playing a OUIJA.
LAINE (CONT’D)
‘But there were rumors that the
girls had been playing with a Ouija
board.’
PETE
‘Other friends from school
confirmed the reports. And that
the name of the spirit during
contact went by the initials D.Z.’
Hearing those same initials, it’s like Laine has the wind
knocked out of her.
LAINE
This has happened before...
Pete keeps reading --
71.
PETE
‘In our research, these initials
have appeared in other instances
in which players suffered various
outcomes... sudden death due to
unexplained accidents... cases
where people simply vanished...
never seen again --’
Laine clicks on another PHOTO on the website. FIRE
INVESTIGATORS sifting through the remains of the burned down
house. Laine clicks another photo of the destruction -- and
notices something.
She enlarges the image. There -- amidst the charred remains
of the house -- a OUIJA BOARD. Uncannily undamaged by the
fire. And then another photo of the back of the board.
ANOTHER PHOTO. A BLACK SMUDGE on the back of the board.
shape... it looks like a HANDPRINT. !
The
Laine turns to Pete, her nerves shredded. He’s on the same
wavelength. The world feels like it’s closing in on them.
LAINE
My god. ‘Finish game.’ I thought
it was a message -- something we
had to do to end this. But it’s
his pattern. D.Z. kills all the
players. !And then he’s finished.
Moves on to the next game...
PETE
...and it starts all over again.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY
Lights are off. A TEACHER lectures at the front of the room,
projecting science charts on a screen.
DRIFT DOWN A ROW OF DESKS to Sarah sitting in the far back.
An empty desk behind her.
Sarah’s finding it hard to pay attention to the lecture.
thoughts stray.
Her
She sets her pen down. Closes her eyes. Takes a breath.
Trying to tune things out, but something doesn’t feel right.
Sarah opens her eyes. The dim light in the classroom shifts
as the teacher advances to another chart.
Sarah glances down at her desk.
Beat... and then it twitches.
Her pen sitting there.
72.
She keeps staring. Maybe that didn’t just happen.
Everything is very still... the droning voice of the teacher
at the front of the class... and the pen twitches again.
Very slowly, as if being moved by some unseen force, it
starts to slide across her desk.
Sarah watches in disbelief. Can’t pull her eyes away. This
seems impossible and yet it’s happening. Right here in
class! The pen continues its eerie drift from one side of
her desk to the other.
She looks over at the student across the aisle from her...
wondering if anyone else is seeing this. But the guy has his
eyes up front. Taking notes.
BACK ON SARAH... staring... the pen still moving like some
kind of dreamy time-lapse.
CLICK. Another projection chart. And in the momentary shift
of the light... we see that SOMEONE -- an out-of-focus figure
-- is now sitting in that last desk behind Sarah that was
empty just moments ago.
Sarah doesn’t notice, entranced by the pen as it edges closer
and closer toward her hand.
BEHIND HER. The DARK FIGURE slightly tilts his head. Cold
glints where the eyes should be... just like the glimpse of
what we saw in the back seat of Isabelle’s car.
ON SARAH’S DESK... as the pen finishes its way across the
desk... and then quickly slips right into Sarah’s hand.
THE DARK FIGURE BEHIND HER -- leans in closer, suddenly -Sarah’s hand JERKS across the desk as she starts SCRAWLING
JAGGED LETTERS OUT ON THE COVER OF HER NOTEBOOK. Pen
snapping. Ink smearing.
And Sarah can’t control it.
She can barely speak --
SARAH
Help... somebody help me.
Sarah frantically looks around the classroom. It’s all
shadows. No one notices her. The TEACHER lecturing. The
HUM of the projector. Everything so far away. Like Sarah’s
desk is in a separate dimension.
The pen SCRATCHES into the notebook.
scrawled out in messy smears of ink.
in the dark.
MORE LETTERS being
Can’t see what it says
Sarah’s literally crying. So helpless. Fighting to resist -but there’s nothing she can do. Finally, her hand comes to a
stop. Her pen drops and clatters to the floor.
73.
Frozen beat. And now Sarah feels it. SOMEONE sitting behind
her. She slowly turns around in her seat... daring a glance
back... seeing something we don’t see. Her eyes going wide --- and then WHOOSH!! Her whole desk SLIDES across the floor
of the classroom! SMASHING HARD INTO A WALL.
INSTANT COMMOTION in the class. The lights are still off.
Dim light from the projector. STUDENTS trying to see what
happened.
Sarah’s tumped over on the floor. Her wild eyes shooting to
the desk that was behind her -- and it’s empty. No one
sitting there. TEACHER’S VOICE calls out -TEACHER
Sarah, what the hell’s going on
back there?! Everyone settle down.
Sarah grabs her NOTEBOOK and scrambles up. Moves through the
dark toward the door. Has to get out of here now.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY
Sarah bursts from the classroom -- RIGHT INTO LAINE AND PETE
IN THE HALLWAY.
Laine sees how panicked her sister is. The tears on her
face. And Sarah keeps looking back at the classroom door.
LAINE
Sarah, what is it -SARAH
-- he’s here.
Wait.
PETE
What happened?
Sarah’s looking everywhere. Paranoid.
safe standing in the hallway.
He’s here.
we go.
Doesn’t even feel
SARAH
Following us wherever
Laine glimpses Sarah’s NOTEBOOK clutched in her arms -- the
jagged carved letters. She gently takes the notebook from
Sarah. It doesn’t look like anything, until she turns it
upside down. A MESSAGE -FINSH GAME
And now in the light, Sarah finally sees the message as well.
She stares with a sick look.
74.
EXT. VACANT LOT - DUSK
The empty neighborhood lot. !Trevor sits at the curb next to
his bike. !He checks his cell phone, looks up as Pete's car
pulls up across the street.
Laine gets out of the car and approaches. !Pete and Sarah
hang back, giving them some space. !
TREVOR
Got your text.
(beat)
Hey, those things I said...
LAINE
You’re here now. !That’s all that
matters.
TREVOR
So... why are we here?
EXT. VACANT LOT - DUSK
LONG SHOT. !In the fading light of day, Laine, Trevor, Pete
and Sarah walk through the tall dead grass... heading toward
the spot where they burned the Ouija board.
Sarah stops.
Doesn’t want to go any further.
Laine continues on... walks up to a spot in the dirt. Black
charred bits of wood and grey ash. Remnants from the fire.
Laine leans down, brushes away the ash.
Pete and Trevor stand over her shoulder... watching.
Laine keeps sweeping the ash away with her hand... a familiar
antique font alphabet appearing underneath.
It’s the OUIJA BOARD. !Totally intact. !As if the fire never
touched it. !The PLANCHETTE too. !Not burned. !It’s perfect.
Everyone stares.
It’s a nightmare they can’t escape.
Laine stands with the board in her hands. !Beat. !She turns
it over. !And there's a BLACK SMUDGE on the back. !That same
CREEPY HANDPRINT we glimpsed in the Ouija internet article.
LAINE
I saw this before. !On Debbie's
video... she was standing in the
mirror. !Something was on her skin.
It was this. !A handprint. !His
handprint. !
(beat)
Is that what he's doing? !Marking
us. !Telling us who's next.
75.
Pete, Trevor and Laine check themselves. Nothing. And then
Laine looks over at Sarah... standing there with her sleeves
pulled to her wrist. Laine doesn't even need to say
anything.
SARAH
Don't make me look. !I don't want
to know...
Laine comes over... gently pulls one of Sarah's sleeves up.
Nothing there. !Pulls the other one up... and there's the
DARK HANDPRINT on her forearm.
I'm next.
SARAH (CONT’D)
I'm going to die...
Sarah frantically tries to wipe away the black handprint.
She’s totally losing it. Laine takes her sister’s face...
trying to calm her.
LAINE
No. !I won’t let that happen. !We
have to play one last time and then
it’s over. !Do you trust me?
Sarah holds the look with Laine -- nods.
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DUSK
Sun setting. !Trees casting long shadows. !EASE IN on the
dark windows...
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The downstairs is totally still for a long beat... then a
FIGURE moves through the shadowed house. !Stepping through
the broken mirror shards on the floorboards. !
It’s DEBBIE’S MOTHER. She walks slowly. Eyes searching.
Expectant. She freezes at hearing a dull SLIDING sound
coming from upstairs.
Debbie?
MRS. GALARDI
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - STAIRS - MOMENTS LATER
Debbie’s mother stands at the bottom of the stairs looking
up. She reaches for the handrail and begins to head up...
passing photos of her daughter along the wall. !Debbie’s face
distorted by the shadows on the glass as she passes.
MRS. GALARDI
Are you here, baby? !Let me see you
-- I need to see you.
From upstairs... that dull SLIDING sound again.
76.
Mrs. Galardi keeps moving up the stairway. !Suddenly, she
stops. Gasping at the sight of --- a DARK FIGURE standing at the very top of the stairs by
the wall. !The face is concealed with one of Debbie’s painted
theatre MASKS.
Mrs. Galardi smiles in astonishment. !Her eyes alive.
MRS. GALARDI (CONT’D)
I knew it. !I knew you were here.
THE FIGURE just stands there.
Not moving.
Mrs. Galardi continues up the stairs, almost to the top...
now just inches away from the FIGURE.
MRS. GALARDI (CONT’D)
I want to see that beautiful face
...just once more.
Mrs. Galardi reaches out with trembling hands and slowly
begins to lift the mask. !We don’t see what she sees --- as the smile fades from her face. Mrs. Galardi stares
with the most devastating expression of dawning horror. And
then it’s as if she simply can’t take what she’s looking at
and she SCREAMS. Loses her footing on the stairs. Suddenly
STUMBLES BACKWARDS -EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - NIGHT!
Pete’s car pulls up. Everyone gets out, but Laine instantly
sees something that makes her face fall -MRS. GALARDI’S EMPTY CAR. Parked out in front of Debbie’s
house like before. Driver’s side door wide open.
Laine turns -- sees that the front door is cracked open.
hurries toward the house.
She
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Laine moves past the same bits of broken mirror on the floor.
Scanning the dark. The house absolutely silent.
Laine keeps going. She rounds the corner to the stairs...
glances up to see that they are empty. Beat... about to move
on... looking down -- and there’s that MASK at the bottom of
the steps.
Icy beat.
Laine stares.
Reaches down to pick it up --
-- WHEN SOMEONE SUDDENLY GRABS HER ARMS! Laine staggers in
shock. It’s MRS. GALARDI. Crawling out from the shadows.
Dazed and hurt from a bad fall down the stairs. Grabbing
onto Laine in a blind panic.
77.
Laine kneels down with Mrs. Galardi.
LAINE
It’s alright. I’m here.
here.
I’m right
But Mrs. Galardi keeps staring up at the top of the stairs.
MRS. GALARDI
-- not alone -- she wasn’t alone -LAINE
Hang on, hang on -- I’m going to
call for help.
And now Debbie’s mother raises an arm and points up. Laine
turns in that direction... looking toward the top of the
stairs. But it’s just emptiness up there.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
SILENT AND DREAM-LIKE. Laine in the street, talking with a
POLICE OFFICER. Answering questions. MRS. GALARDI is loaded
into an ambulance. Doors shut.
THROUGH THE AMBULANCE DOORS as it pulls away. Looking out at
Laine through the back window... getting smaller as she
stands there in the street.
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - BACKYARD - NIGHT
Laine enters the backyard. The others are already here.
Waiting. The mood is so grim.
LAINE
She hit her head pretty hard. They
think she fell down the stairs.
But she’ll be okay.
PETE
D.Z. did that to her. Because it
doesn’t want anyone else in the
house.
Only us...
SARAH
LAINE
Caminar hacia atrás en las huellas,
al principio.
TREVOR
What does that mean?
Sarah trades a look with Laine.
78.
SARAH
‘Walk backwards in our footsteps.’
LAINE
It’s how we stop him.
They turn and look up at the dark house, knowing they have to
go inside. A NIGHT WIND starts to rise as we go -POV OF TREVOR’S VIDEO CAMERA.
angle on the Ouija board.
Set up like before.
Same
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - NIGHT
Just like the previous games, everyone is in place around the
Ouija board. But now -- only FOUR PLAYERS instead of five.
One by one, each player puts their fingertips on the
planchette. Laine offers a final caution -LAINE
What we all did to make contact, we
now have to do in reverse. That’s
how we close the door.
(beat)
No matter what happens, don’t take
your hand away.
The air is absolutely electric. Laine begins, saying the
words we’ve heard before, but backwards -LAINE (CONT’D)
You to call... we near spirits...
...true are hearts... gathered...
we have friends... as...
Everything’s quiet.
Laine glances at the others.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Now four times around the board.
One for each of us. Backwards.
Together they circle the board -- counter-clockwise -- with
the planchette. Very cautiously. Completing a full cycle.
Okay.
SARAH
One down...
LAINE
Keep going...
Hope rising. They start the second circle, and THE
PLANCHETTE STARTS TO VIBRATE AND RATTLE against the surface
of the board.
It’s D.Z.
PETE
79.
They keep pushing at the planchette, but it’s as if the piece
is suddenly heavy. Hard to move.
PETE (CONT’D)
He’s pushing back.
There’s a DEEP, LOW GROAN somewhere in the house.
VIDEO CAMERA ANGLE -- Eyes dart.
Everyone heard that.
TREVOR
He knows what we’re doing.
LAINE
Do not stop.
THE IMAGE GLITCHES -- like we saw before when Laine was
watching the footage of Debbie’s games.
And in the momentary distortion, beyond the four players
sitting around the board... there is ANOTHER PRESENCE in the
shadows.
BACK WITH THE GROUP -- FINGERTIPS PUSHING. Veins in hands
straining. The planchette finally finishing the second
circle.
That OTHERWORLDLY GROAN IN THE HOUSE -- LOUDER! Sounds as if
it’s moving behind the walls. Across the ceiling.
Two more.
SARAH
C’mon c’mon c’mon --
They start to move the planchette -- and somewhere in the
darkness a DOOR SLAMS! The sound THUNDERS THROUGH THE HOUSE.
TREVOR
It’s not working... it’s not
working...
LAINE
Goddammit. Focus.
(calling out into the
room)
D.Z. -- we know you’re here.
ending the game!
We’re
And everyone keeps PUSHING THE PLANCHETTE as it seems to
literally fight against their efforts.
The third circle complete.
On to the last...
LAINE (CONT’D)
We can do this.
80.
The planchette inches... slowly moving... THE UNGODLY NOISE
in the house rises -- LOUDER -- the planchette finishes the
fourth and final circle around the board.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Hurry. Move it to ‘Good Bye’ and
we’re done.
Together, they move the planchette toward the words at the
bottom of the board -- but it stops. RATTLING in place.
Won’t go any further. An incredible force pushing back
against them.
The lanterns FLICKER AND DIM. THE GROANING SOUND falls away
as everything becomes eerily quiet.
LAINE (CONT’D)
C’mon... almost there.
A breathless beat --- as the lantern softly FLICKERS. Faster. Now strobe-like.
BLASTS OF LIGHT and then total darkness. Over and over.
And in those FLASHES -- glimpses of a FIFTH PERSON NOW
SITTING WITH THE OTHERS AT THE BOARD. An 18-year-old YOUNG
MAN. Ghostly. Eyes filled with menace. It’s D.Z.
Everyone sees him.
Holy shit!
Another FLASH of light -- and now he’s gone.
Back into darkness.
Laine looks over.
Sarah’s SCREAM suddenly fills the room --
Face going slack --
-- BECAUSE SARAH’S BEING LIFTED KICKING AND SCREAMING OFF THE
FLOOR! Something shadowy and mostly unseen is behind her -holding her -- making it look like Sarah’s levitating in the
rapid-fire strobes of light.
And then -- WHOOSH! Sarah goes flying across the room. OUT
INTO THE UPSTAIRS HALLWAY. THE BEDROOM DOOR SLAMMING SHUT!
Pandemonium. Everyone scrambles up from the floor and runs
to the door. Trying to get it open. Sarah SCREAMS from the
other side -Laine!
SARAH (O.S.)
Help me!
Hang on!
LAINE
From the space at the bottom of the door, Sarah’s fingers
desperately reach out. Feeling out onto the floor.
81.
Laine crouches down -- holds her sister’s hands while Trevor
and Pete struggle with the door.
I got you!
LAINE (CONT’D)
SARAH (O.S.)
He’s here, Laine!
Laine holds tight, but now Sarah is totally frantic in the
hallway. Like she’s not out there alone.
Her fingers slip away... right out of Laine’s grasp.
As Trevor and Pete finally get the door open --- INTO THE HALLWAY.
the empty hallway.
And Sarah’s not there.
Laine takes in
TREVOR
Where the hell is she??!!
SARAH!
No answer.
LAINE
Laine grabs a flashlight.
CLICK.
The three of them move down the upstairs hallway.
see are their faces in the light.
All we can
UP AHEAD -- the various bedroom doors. More darkness within
each room. It feels like anything could be waiting around
the next corner...
THE THREE SPLIT UP -- their lights moving away from each
other. Into rooms... down the stairs...
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - PARENTS’ ROOM - NIGHT
Pete checks the parents’ bedroom. Searching the dark.
Moving fast. Everything looks so normal. The neatly made
bed. Vanity table. Woman’s dress hanging on an armoire.
FROM BEHIND A CURTAIN. Hiding from this vantage point.
Watching Pete search the dark room.
BACK WITH PETE. He turns and notices the curtains. The last
place he hasn’t checked. He moves toward them. Reaches out
and whips the curtain aside...
...but no one’s there.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT
LIGHT SWEEPS ACROSS OUR VISION -- it’s LAINE.
82.
Laine moves toward a CLOSED DOOR with her light.
AWFUL SOUND rises...
A LOW,
Laine stops. Breathing hard. Listening. As the sound MOVES
FROM BEHIND THE WALL -- SCRAPING OVERHEAD -- ACROSS THE
CEILING -- and then off into the house. Like a presence
passing. Quiet again...
Laine summons her resolve... arrives at the CLOSED DOOR.
Beat. She quickly twists the door knob and pushes into -THE GARAGE. Laine shines her light into the dark corners,
but Sarah’s not here.
Laine’s desperation grows.
Sarah?!
She calls out --
LAINE
Can you hear me?
Behind her in the hallway -- SOMEONE’S NOW STANDING THERE in
the shadows. The faintest whispery voice -VOICE
Laaainne...
THE FIGURE moves. Not walking.
view... off into the house.
They eerily slide out of
Laine turns -- not seeing anyone.
ELSEWHERE. WITH TREVOR -- heading toward the back of the
house. Lantern sweeping the shadows. No sign of Sarah.
Trevor swings the light over toward the sliding glass door
leading to the back. It’s OPEN. He steps closer -- ‘Is
Sarah out there?’
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - BACKYARD - NIGHT
Trevor is now out back. Night wind blowing.
SKITTERING across the pool cover...
Leaves
Trevor scans the area. His light sweeps across patio
furniture... but no sign of Sarah.
A SOUND. BEHIND HIM. Trevor turns.
Everything still. A WATERY SOUND...
Holding his light out.
...as A SHAPE MOVES BENEATH THE POOL COVER.
Something’s in the water.
At first he can’t believe it. A trick of the eyes. Trevor
steps toward the edge of the pool... A SICK GURGLING SOUND...
as the SHAPE moves again under the pool cover.
83.
Sarah!
TREVOR
Trevor moves fast. He reaches down... peels the pool cover
back... brackish water underneath. Impossible to see
anything as --- AN EXPLOSIVE SPLASH!
LANTERN DROPS TO THE CONCRETE.
-- and Trevor is VIOLENTLY PULLED INTO THE POOL!
Disappearing under the surface of the water.
The pool settles. Quiet. Stay here for as long as we can
get away with. We’re now literally holding our breath.
Waiting for Trevor to come up...
...but he never does.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
WITH PETE. At the back sliding glass door. He hears the
soft lapping of the pool, looks out -- sees the fallen
lantern lying on the concrete... but no Trevor.
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
PETE RUNS FOR THE POOL. Arrives at the edge. Shines his
light down into the dark water. Can’t see Trevor.
Pete reaches in... his hands searching... water splashing
everywhere... desperate --- AND THEN HE GRABS HOLD OF SOMETHING.
Pulls.
It’s TREVOR. Coming up out of the water.
Drenched. Lifeless.
Head sagging.
PETE
No no no... Trevor, c’mon.
Pete strains with everything he’s got and manages to hoist
Trevor out of the pool. Lays him on the concrete. Trevor
doesn’t move at all.
Pete puts his ear to Trevor’s chest... listens for a
heartbeat. His expression says it all -- this isn’t good.
Pete shakes Trevor.
Trevor -Nothing.
PETE (CONT’D)
Trevor’s not moving.
Not breathing.
Pete puts his hands into CPR position.
chest. Again. Again. --
He pumps on Trevor’s
84.
-- Trevor’s whole body JOLTS as he coughs up water. Gasps
for breath. Eyes blinking. Taking in air. He finally
focuses on Pete. Realizes he just saved his life.
Pete holds a look with him -- relieved.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Laine enters a bathroom. Clutching her light in the
darkness. She scans the small space. No sign of Sarah...
about to leave when --- there’s a sound. Coming from behind the glass shower
door. A dull THUMP... THUMP.
Laine turns. Stares at the shower. She waits for the sound
to come again, but it’s just silence.
She takes a step closer. Flashlight trembling in her grip.
Trying to see through the opaque shower door glass.
Another step -- and THUMP! Something SLAMS against the other
side of the glass. A DISTORTED FIGURE. One HAND -- then
another SLAMS against the glass!
Laine FREAKS!
Swings her light wildly as --
-- the shower door CREAKS open and THE FIGURE stumbles out,
COLLIDING RIGHT INTO LAINE!
Laine’s light finally settles to see that it’s Sarah. Her
eyes are dazed. She looks totally disoriented. Traumatized.
Laine holds her sister. Brushing the hair out of her face.
Sarah’s so scared, trying to get the words out -SARAH
He told me...
Her voice fades.
Eyes unable to focus.
LAINE
Hey. It’s me. Sarah? It’s Laine.
Are you hurt? Talk to me.
Sarah is falling apart.
hypothermia.
Shaking all over like she has
SARAH
He’s playing with us.
LAINE
Just breathe.
SARAH
This is the only thing he wants...
that taste of life again.
(MORE)
85.
SARAH (CONT'D)
He finishes with us and then it’s
another game. It keeps going and
going...
EASE IN ON LAINE -- as she’s suddenly hit with a MEMORY.
DEBBIE.
ON THE VIDEO.
Playing the Ouija alone in her room.
DEBBIE
Let’s start a new game. How does
that sound? Okay. Good. Here we
go.
SNAP BACK TO LAINE -- a revelation now clear to her.
LAINE
Another game... that’s what she was
doing. Trying to protect me...
Beat.
Laine puts her flashlight into Sarah’s hands.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Sarah -- I want you to stay right
here. You’ll be safe.
SARAH
Don’t leave me.
LAINE
I love you.
SARAH
Wait, why are you saying that -LAINE
-- no matter what happens, you
remember that. Okay, Worm?
Laine’s pulls away...
Laine!
But she’s gone.
SARAH
Hurrying off into the dark house.
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - NIGHT
THE OUIJA sits on the floor. Right where the group left it.
Lantern to the side. The board seems larger than life.
Laine steps into the doorway in the background. Regards the
board. Heavy. She comes into the room and closes the door.
Locks it.
Laine kneels down at the Ouija. She hesitates -- then places
her fingertips on the planchette.
86.
She slowly starts to circle the board.
Clockwise.
One time.
LAINE
As friends we’ve gathered, hearts
are true. Spirits near, we call to
you.
(beat)
D.Z. -- if you’re here, make your
presence known.
It’s now clear what Laine’s doing -- she’s here to play the
game alone.
SUDDENLY -- A STRANGE POV. Looking up at Laine through the
Ouija board. Like it’s a window into the room. The letters
and words on the board are all backwards. And the sound in
this place -- an evil LOW GROANING like a rising storm.
BACK WITH LAINE in the shadowy room.
LAINE (CONT’D)
Just tell me that you’re here.
Talk to me.
EASE IN ON THE PLANCHETTE. Totally still.
Laine’s fingertips. The planchette moves.
familiar greeting -- HI FREND
A twitch under
Spells out the
LAINE (CONT’D)
Hi friend. !Then our game has
started.
(beat)
I know something about you... all
the games you’ve played before.
The terrible things you have done.
The entire room seems to react with menace.
the dark blowing against Laine.
A dull wind in
LAINE (CONT’D)
You move game to game. One to the
next. And now you're playing with
me. Just the two of us. That
means the last game is over. You
can’t hurt my friends... can’t hurt
my sister. Not anymore.
The planchette RATTLES on the board.
in the room.
LAINE (CONT’D)
But I’m here. I’m ready.
There’s an angry energy
87.
INT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - DOWNSTAIRS - NIGHT
Pete and the still soaking wet Trevor hurry through the
house. Their light catching sight of Sarah. But Trevor
immediately notices that Laine’s absent.
TREVOR
Where’s Laine?
SARAH
She went upstairs.
With a sick realization -PETE
She’s with the Ouija.
Alone.
INT. DEBBIE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Laine is still at the board.
Fingers still in place.
The LANTERN flickers as Laine’s hit by an angry uncanny blast
of wind. An angry energy filling the room.
The closet door swings open. The mirror mounted to the
inside, reveals Laine's reflection. !She gasps at the sight
of a prominent large black HANDPRINT now on her arm. !She has
been marked!
And then she sees in the reflection -- BEHIND HER -- someone
standing there. It’s D.Z. He reaches out toward her with a
strange stuttering arm. !
Suddenly -- THE MIRROR CRACKS. !Spiderwebs. !
A loose shard rattles in the mirror -- then sucked away by
the wind. Flies across the room. The sharp piece SLICES
Laine’s cheek. Draws blood.
There’s POUNDING on the other side of the door. Trevor’s
voice faintly yelling under the rising chaos in Debbie’s
room.
WHOOSH! Debbie’s shelves slide in front of the door.
one’s getting in.
No
Laine shoots a look to the door. Knows she’s trapped.
Bathed in a little island of lantern light in the inky black
that surrounds her. This is where she’s going to die.
She takes a brave breath.
Closes her eyes.
Ready.
SLOWLY MOVE DOWN LAINE TO THE PLANCHETTE, rattling on the
board -- as OTHER HANDS reach in. Fingertips touching.
88.
Laine senses something. Opens her eyes. Astonished to see
that SOMEONE is sitting across from her. Playing the game.
It’s a TEENAGE GIRL. The girl looks up with sad eyes...
It’s DEBBIE.
Laine whispers in amazement. !Totally overcome with emotion
to see her old friend sitting across from her.
Debbie...
LAINE
DEBBIE
Never play alone, Laine.
The way Debbie says these words... so full of regret. !Laine
starts to cry. !And Debbie does too.
Debbie looks around her room. !At all of her things. !And
then sees her bracelet on Laine's wrist. !She reaches out and
touches it. !A piece of her living on through Laine. !!
LAINE
I should've been there for you.
I'm so sorry. !If I could do it all
over again...!
Debbie smiles through her tears. !All is forgiven between
them. But Debbie’s smile slowly fades, sensing something --- and she suddenly spins and looks behind her. !Terrified.
DEBBIE
Laine -- he’s coming.
The LANTERN flickers. In the flash of light, DEBBIE NOW
LOOKS HORRENDOUS! Plastic dry cleaning bag wrapped tight
around her screaming twitching head.
Another LAMP flicker -- back to normal.
here. Can’t move on.
A part of her stuck
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Take your hands away.
Laine shakes her head. !
LAINE
No! !I'm not leaving you again. !
The vibe in the room grows more intense. All around them, A
FIGURE drifts in and out of the shadows. There! Then over
there! It feels like being in the very heart of evil.
The PLANCHETTE twitches across the board.
89.
DEBBIE
You have to, Laine... you have to
say goodbye.
Laine is crying harder. !Shaking her head. !Terrified but
willing to die right here.
I can't.
LAINE
DEBBIE
You need to go, Laine. !Live a good
life. !Do great things...
The two girls lock eyes with each other. !
...for me.
DEBBIE (CONT’D)
Laine is overcome. !Can barely get the words out.
LAINE
Good bye...
Laine pulls her hands away from the board.
Alone, Debbie does a reverse circle around the board.
Finally moves the planchette to GOOD BYE, but she’s looking
at Laine when she says...
Goodbye.
DEBBIE
THE ROOM IS RATTLING LIKE HELL.
pitch fury --
Everything reaching a final
Debbie is now looking over Laine’s shoulder.
Laine slowly turns-- glances behind her -- A DARK FIGURE
STANDS THERE. Hovering above them. The uncanny wind howling
and storming around Laine.
Suddenly -- DEBBIE ERUPTS in her own fury. For a split
second, that disturbing death appearance of the plastic bag
around her twitching head. FLASH. Then normal again.
She bolts off the floor. Takes four running steps at THE
FIGURE. Both of them falling back into the shadows.
The WIND ON LAINE IS FEROCIOUS. She SCREAMS! Can barely
hear her. The LANTERN FLICKERS HARD then total darkness.
INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Trevor SHOVES at the door.
Finally gets it open --
90.
INT. DEBBIE’S ROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
-- he bursts into the room --- to find that everything is totally still. He shines his
light around the room. The calm after the storm.
Laine’s not here.
It’s just the board sitting on the middle of the floor. A
smear of blood on it. Next to the board, the planchette.
It’s literally cracked in half.
Sarah moves in behind Trevor.
see her sister anywhere.
Laine?
Taking in the room.
Doesn’t
SARAH
And Sarah starts sobbing. Fearing the worst.
her. Both of them speechless.
Trevor holds
Pete crouches down. Nudges the broken planchette with his
flashlight. Taking in the stillness of the room.
A faint sound. He shines his light over by the bed. Can’t
see anything. Pete moves forward... closer... around the
side of the bed.
And there’s LAINE.
her arm.
Huddled in a corner.
Her head buried in
Pete gently reaches out... touches her.
Laine glances up. Surprised to see him. Surprised that
she’s even here. Laine looks at her arm -- the handprint
mark that was there is gone.!
Sarah turns. Sees her sister. Races over to her. Crying
even harder now. They hold each other. Not letting go.
EXT. DEBBIE’S HOUSE - NIGHT
PULL AWAY from the house. The horror truly feels over. The
spirit moving on to the next game. Somewhere out there...
DISSOLVE TO:
CLOSE. A PIECE OF PARCHMENT. Letters appearing one by one,
spelling out the name DEBORAH.
EXT. CEMETERY - DAY
Trees. Grass. WE FIND LAINE... at Debbie’s grave. Making a
rubbing of her headstone. Finished, she pulls the parchment
away, revealing the full inscription:
91.
Deborah Galardi - A Friend Forever
SARAH, TREVOR AND PETE are standing here too. They all place
a flower at the grave and then step away. Allowing Laine to
have a final moment.
Laine places her single white flower among the others.
kisses her fingers, touches the headstone.
Laine rises.
She
A last look... and she steps away.
ROLL CREDITS over a haunting, female vocal cover version of
Morrissey’s “Ouija Board, Ouija Board.”
Ouija board
Would you work for me?
I have got to say hello
To an old friend
And for those who stay all the way until the very end of the
credits, they are rewarded with a final tag:
BLACK. !We hear a GUY'S VOICE -GUY'S VOICE (O.S.)
Here it is. !The moment we've all
been waiting for.
IMAGE COMES UP. !A guy on screen, speaking directly to the
camera. !We recognize him as HIP PODCAST GUY from earlier
when Sarah was on her computer.
HIP PODCAST GUY
One million people online, right
now -- ready to play the world's
biggest game of Ouija. What are we
waiting for? Let's do this. Hand
on your mouse.
The image of a virtual OUIJA BOARD comes up and fills the
screen. !The layout and lettering identical to the actual
game. The planchette circles the board in a clockwise
motion.
HIP PODCAST GUY (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Is there a spirit with us now?
Please let us know that you are
here.
Beat... then the planchette on screen moves up to the YES.
PULL AWAY FROM THE SCREEN... into a bedroom... we see a hand
resting on the computer mouse. !KEEP PANNING UP to reveal
that it's SARAH. !Sitting at her laptop in her room.
92.
HIP PODCAST GUY (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Okay, this is seriously cool.
Spirit, can you tell us your name?
ON THE SCREEN -- the planchette sits there. !Then slowly
starts to move. Across the letters... keeps moving...
SARAH watches... waiting...
As the planchette finally lands on the letter "D."
Whoa. !Sarah clicks out of the screen. !The online Ouija game
is gone. She sits there. !Lets out a breath. Never again.
Sarah clicks the mouse, and now something else comes up on
screen. Solitaire. !Nice safe Solitaire. !PULL BACK FROM
SARAH as she begins to play...
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT
VARIOUS SHOTS. !Different houses. !The distinctive blue glow
of computer screens from bedroom windows.
We catch glimpses through curtains and blinds. !Other people
with the OUIJA board on their computer. !Playing.
WIDE SHOT. !The vast sprawl of the suburbs before us. !All
those houses. !All those people. !Glimmers of lights in the
windows.
The world's biggest Ouija game is underway...
FADE OUT.